Timo Meier signed an eight-year contract worth $70,400,000 with an annual average value of $8,800,000.
By the end of the 2022-23 season, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald knew his team was on the fast track to becoming a Stanley Cup contender. His young core got a taste of postseason hockey and now understands how difficult it is to win a round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In this summer series, I will chronologically break down every move the organization made this offseason and discuss how it positively or negatively impacts the team for the 2023-24 season.
Near the top of Fitzgerald's summer to-do list was re-signing Timo Meier, 26, to a long-term deal. In February, the Devils' GM sent four players and three picks to the San Jose Sharks to acquire Meier, defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, forward prospect Timur Ibragimov, goalie prospect Zachary Emond, and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
On June 28, New Jersey announced Meier agreed to an eight-year contract worth $70,400,000 with an annual average value (AAV) of $8,800,000. Per the official press release, the contract breakdown is as follows:
2023-24: $12,000,000
2024-25: $11,100,000
2025-26: $10,750,000
2026-27: $7,750,000
2027-28: $7,200,000
2028-29: $7,200,000
2029-30: $7,200,000
2030-31: $7,200,000
"We were excited to acquire Timo at the deadline, but it's an even greater feeling knowing that he'll be here for the next eight seasons," said Fitzgerald in the press release. "Timo's unique blend of style of play, goal-scoring ability, and physical presence will prove valuable for us. In talking with him, Timo realized, and I always believed, that this is the right place for him as a player and a person. We've locked up another piece of our young core that is looking to take that next step together for greater success."
In the spirit of transparency, I am generally not a fan of eight-year deals. In most cases, the contracts do not age well and result in a player past his prime that is nearly impossible to trade or the player's buyout.
In today's NHL, fans see eight-year deals handed out as freely as Oprah gave away cars. Entering the 2023-24 season, there are 85 NHL players signed to eight (+)-year contracts. It includes players ranging from Connor McDavid, who was 20 when he signed his current deal, to Jonathan Huberdeau, who signed his at 29.
For this specific "Devils Offseason Moves" article, I am considering some of the positives and negatives of committing eight years to 26-year-old Meier.
The Positives of Signing Meier Long-Term
Meier is not another Jack Hughes or Jesper Bratt. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, he has the size that the team has desperately been lacking, especially on their top two lines. Not only does the winger have the size, but he makes it a priority to utilize it. In 21 games with New Jersey, he tallied 42 hits. Between the Sharks and Devils, he registered 154 hits during the 2022-23 season, more than any other player on head coach Lindy Ruff's roster.
In addition to being a physical presence, he is a high-volume shooter who bolsters the team's power play, which needs improving. Four of his nine goals that were scored with the Devils were while his team was on the man advantage.
At 26 years old, he is the proper age to develop alongside New Jersey's homegrown talent. Over the past few summers, fans have witnessed Fitzgerald assemble his own "core four" with Meier, Hughes, Bratt, and Nico Hischier.
Most experts agree that a forward is in his prime between the ages of 26-30. With Meier turning 27 in early October, he is in the sweet spot to give the Devils some of the best hockey of his career.
The Negatives of Signing Meier Long-Term
After contemplating and speaking to other writers, I've concluded that there are few negatives regarding Meier signing for eight years. Of course, the Devils will have Meier under contract for some of his best years, but because of the term, he will likely be past his prime before this contract expires. The Swiss winger will be 34 at the end of the deal.
Meier is known as a power forward who spends his time playing in the dirty areas of the ice. He uses his dominant frame to hold off opposing players in front of the net and along the boards. It can be argued that his style of play puts him at a greater risk for injury. Looking at his career, he has been primarily healthy but, like any NHL player, has dealt with his fair share of upper and lower-body injuries and was injured when he was traded to New Jersey.
Meier's Injury History Per Fox Sports
04/16/19: Wrist
10/03/19: Upper-Body
03/06/21: Lower-Body
3/08/21: Lower-Body
11/04/21: Health Protocols
02/20/23: Upper-Body
05/03/23: Undisclosed
The Verdict
Fitzgerald has spoken at length about adding diversity to his top six and accomplished as much by acquiring Meier.
Regarding the length and term of his contract, only time will tell how this deal ages. Fans and media have witnessed teams hand out massive deals in hopes of winning a championship, but their dream never comes to fruition. If New Jersey can win the Stanley Cup in the next couple of seasons, most would agree Fitzgerald signed Meier to a great deal. Conversely, if the Devils need to retool their roster in the next couple of seasons, Meier's contract could be challenging to move.
Entering the 2023-24 season, the Devils are a better team with Meier in the lineup. His physical style of play is the perfect complement to Hughes or Hischier. He can be relied on to contribute offensively and be a difference-maker, even if he is not putting the puck past the goal line.
For the next couple of seasons, the positives outweigh the negatives regarding Meier signing long-term in New Jersey. After that, only time will tell.