Welcome to the The Hockey Writers’ Countdown of the 10 most impactful New Jersey Devils of the 2024-25 season. This is not a countdown of the 10 best but rather a list of players slated to have the biggest impact. These 10 players offer unique contributions, are difficult to replace, and are essential to the Devils’ quest to return to the postseason. The list continues with number six, Timo Meier.
Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald long coveted a power forward to round out his top six. Initially, he tried to trade with the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk but was outbid by the Florida Panthers. He then had a conversation with San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier advising of his interest in winger Timo Meier and extracting a concession from Grier that he would reach out to Fitzgerald if he were ever tempted to move the Swiss power forward. Laying the groundwork paid off for Fitzgerald as he pried Meier away from the Sharks in exchange for a bevy of prospects and draft picks. Regardless of the cost, he now had his power forward.
Once Healthy, Meier Thrived
Meier was heralded as the final piece to the Devils’ forward puzzle; a potential 40-goal scorer with a rare combination of size and speed. Unfortunately for Meier and the Devils, he rushed back from an injury he was recovering from at the time of the trade and took some time to round into form after the trade. Despite the difficult start, he still found a way to lead the team in goals scored from his debut on March 5, 2023, through the end of the regular season. His season was further complicated after suffering a broken nose in the waning moments of the Devils’ first-round victory over the New York Rangers, imperiling his ability to play the remainder of the playoffs.
Related: Counting Down the 10 Most Impactful Devils for 2024-25 – No. 7 – Ondrej Palat
Entering 2023-24, expectations were sky-high for Meier. He was poised to deliver after a full offseason to heal and acclimate himself to New Jersey. A notoriously slow starter, his lack of scoring at the beginning of the season was not a huge shock. Still, as the season wore on and injuries mounted, he was not producing at the expected level. Later, it would be learned that he played with a torn MCL and a “medium body injury.” Those injuries cost him 13 games, but he was hurt most of the year.
Besides injury, he struggled to find traction in Lindy Ruff’s system. He was often deployed in a quizzical manner, constantly shifting between the top three lines and even finding himself on the fourth line. His power play time was also curtailed, and he seemed never to find a consistent groove. Meier played on 16 distinct lines throughout the season alongside 11 different linemates (min 10 min ice time). His fortune did seem to change when Fitzgerald fired Ruff. Meier was given more regular ice time and linemates from that date forward and produced results. He delivered 24 points in the final 21 games, scoring 15 goals, more than twice as many as any other Devils player. Shockingly, he did that while nursing a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.
Meier’s Impact on the Devils’ Success in 2024-25
Meier is due for a season of health. Should he be able to play 75 to 80 games, there is no reason he can’t score at least 40 goals and could flirt with the 50-goal mark. In some ways, he may be the biggest beneficiary of the coaching change. Sheldon Keefe has been known to coax huge seasons out of his stars and find ways to put goal scorers in a position to exploit their skill. Finding a way to utilize Meier on the power play better should be one of Keefe’s top priorities.
Despite playing through two knee injuries, Meier still topped out in the 92nd percentile in the entire NHL for top speed (per NHL Edge). He averages 31 goals and 143 hits per 82 games for his career. Add those skills with his speed and you have a tailor-made forward to play in the fast-paced, high-pressure system Keefe is looking to install. Meier is an underrated play driver who can skate pucks out of trouble through the neutral zone, enter the offensive zone, and immediately become a threat to score. He is one of New Jersey’s best forwards around the net, both as a screener and at corralling loose pucks and putting them home before the defense and goalie can react.
The biggest issue with Meier may be finding him the right linemates. The simplest answer is to staple him to his fellow Swiss countryman Nico Hischier, as the two have an innate chemistry and complementary play styles. With Tomas Tatar’s return and Hischier’s success with Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, and Ondrej Palat, the spots on Hischier’s line could fill quickly. Meier and Jack Hughes displayed some chemistry in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs but failed to find the magic together last season. The pair only played together for 168 minutes, and each had far better statistics apart than when together. Perhaps Keefe can find a third linemate who could bring balance to the pair, but Meier and Hughes may be too similar in their penchant for play-driving and volume shooting to be effective long-term partners.
Could Meier occasionally find himself on the third line, driving play with complementary veterans like Erik Haula, Stefan Noesen, or Palat? Depending on matchups, if the Devils were to roll four lines consistently and balance the even-strength ice time in their top nine, it would make sense to spread out the goal scorers throughout the lineup to exploit opportunities and force opponents to pick their poison. Keefe has been known to tinker with his lineups sometimes as often as shift to shift, and having a weapon like Meier should allow him to maximize the team’s potential and help Meier fulfill the promise that drove Fitzgerald’s pursuit for over a year.
What They Are Saying About Timo Meier
It was no secret that Meier struggled under Ruff. He was benched early in the season and shuffled throughout the lineup even when Hischier and Hughes were injured. His season took a turn when Ruff was let go, and interim head coach Travis Green gave Meier much of the ice time available after the Tyler Toffoli trade. Meier vindicated his coach’s confidence. In the midst of his resurgence, Green was effusive in his praise of the winger.
“He’s skating hard, he’s being physical. He’s being that power forward that he has to be. I think he’s been engaged with his physical play. When you have that kind of mindset, you’re going to be skating well. When (Meier) is skating, he’s hard to handle.”
– Devils interim head coach Travis Green
If Meier can remain healthy throughout the 2024-25 season, he will have an opportunity to do what few have ever done in a Devils jersey, score 40 goals. The team record of 48 goals is certainly not out of the realm of possibility for him either. His speed, size, and skill make him a natural fit for the system that Keefe wants to install in New Jersey and have him poised for a big impact this season. He is the sixth most impactful player on the 2024-25 Devils. Stay tuned for number five, which is coming soon.
