Revisiting Sharks’ Timo Meier Trade to the Devils

It has been a year since the San Jose Sharks traded forward Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 26, 2023, in a blockbuster deal that changed both organization’s futures. The Sharks added valuable pieces for their rebuild, including Fabian Zetterlund, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Nikita Okhotiuk, and a first-round pick in 2023 that became Quentin Musty. San Jose also received a conditional second-round pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2024 Draft. Meanwhile, the Devils acquired a player who they hoped would push them closer to Stanley Cup contention, but that hasn’t been the case so far. Here’s a look at the trade one year later.

Sharks Acquisitions Making an Impact

The emergence of Zetterlund has been a silver lining to an otherwise difficult season in 2023-24. While he played well with the Devils in 2021-22 and 2022-23, he struggled when he arrived in San Jose, recording three assists in 22 games. Compared to his 20 points in 45 games with the Devils before the trade, it was a bit of a disappointment. This season, he has found his footing and also discovered a level of goal-scoring talent that he’d never shown in the NHL. Through 56 games, he has a career-high 15 goals, which may not sound like much, but he is tied with Tomas Hertl for the team lead.

The defensemen acquired in the trade have also been making an impact. Although Mukhamadullin has spent most of the season with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League, he impressed the Sharks during his short stint with the team when he was called up in January. I expect him to be recalled after the deadline and stay with the team for the remainder of the season.

Okhotiuk, on the other hand, has carved out a role for himself as a physical presence on the Sharks’ blue line who can also make great defensive plays. He has been bouncing in and out of the lineup while head coach David Quinn experiments with a mostly healthy defensive core – Matt Benning won’t be back this season. Okhotiuk has contributed a bit offensively, but the most impactful part of his game is in the defensive zone. He’s not going to be a star, but similar to Ty Emberson, he should make himself a valuable member of the team for years to come.

Musty is still playing with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League, and he’s taken a step forward as well. The 26th overall pick in the 2023 Draft is developing nicely for the Sharks, as…