The New Jersey Devils secured another piece of last year’s team, re-signing forward Timo Meier to an eight-year, $70.4 million deal through the 2030-31 NHL season.
General manager Tom Fitzgerald announced the signing of the restricted free agent Wednesday, hours before the start of the league draft in Nashville, Tennessee.
Timo Meier #96 of the New Jersey Devils warms up before Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on May 5, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
The contract will pay the 26-year-old Swiss striker an average of $8.8 million annually with a contract starting at $12 million this upcoming season and reducing to $7.2 million in the last year.
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«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,» Fitzgerald said. «Timo’s unique combination of playing style, goal scoring ability and physical presence will prove valuable to us.
Timo Meier #96 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates his goal in the first period of game three of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Prudential Center on May 7, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey . (Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
Fitzgerald had said in recent weeks that the two sides were getting closer to a deal and caps a good week for the Devils, who added Calgary Flames scoring leader Tyler Toffoli in a Tuesday night trade for Yegor Sharangovich and a draft. choose.
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Fitzgerald also re-signed center Erik Haula and forward Jesper Bratt, and signed and traded defenseman Damon Severson to Columbus for a draft pick used in the Toffoli deal.
The Devils made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2017-18.
Meier began his career with San Jose in 2016-17 and just completed his seventh NHL season. He had nine goals and five assists in 21 regular-season games with New Jersey and recorded 40 goals and a career-high 17 power-play goals all season. He added two goals and two assists in the playoffs, but proved to be a physical presence on the ice in series against the Rangers and Hurricanes.
Timo Meier #96 of the New Jersey Devils skates during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers at the Prudential Center on May 1, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
New Jersey acquired Meier and other trades from the Sharks in exchange for forwards Andreas Johnsson and Fabian Zetterlund, defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk and picks.
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Meier has represented Switzerland on multiple occasions and is one of four Swiss players on the Devils’ roster with Jonas Siegenthaler, Nico Hischier and goalkeeper Akira Schmid.