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Timo Meier

Scratch Notes: Kane, Lafferty, Meier

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With the trade deadline now less than a week away, more teams are starting to sit their players to avoid any risk of injury that could scuttle a pending move or complicate ongoing discussions.  With that in mind, here’s a rundown of players in that situation that are out of the lineup today.

  • The Blackhawks announced (Twitter link) that winger Patrick Kane and forward Sam Lafferty will sit for trade-related reasons. Kane’s agent Pat Brisson relayed a statement to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link) that it was mutually agreed that Kane would sit during this “period of reflection”.  Kane is mulling over whether to leave the only NHL organization he has ever known with the Rangers expected to be the likely destination, provided that they can make the money work as Kane carries a $10.5MM AAV.  They’ll need double-retention for a deal to happen.
  • As for Lafferty, the 27-year-old is in the midst of a career year with 10 goals and 11 assists in 50 games while winning more than 52% of his faceoffs in a little more than 15 minutes a night of action. Signed for one more season with a manageable cap hit of $1.15MM, he should attract interest from several teams.
  • The Sharks will be without winger Timo Meier tonight, reports Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link). The 26-year-old is having another strong season, notching 31 goals and 21 assists in 57 games and is four goals shy of his career-high which was set last year.  Meier is a pending restricted free agent that’s owed a $10MM qualifying offer this summer but only a $6MM AAV this season.  Acquiring teams will likely want to get a long-term deal below that but as of yet, San Jose is not believed to have granted interested squads a chance to negotiate an extension with Meier’s camp.  He’s currently nursing an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day so it’s unlikely he’ll suit up before the deadline for precautionary reasons.

Injury Updates: Blues, Meier, Mantha, Nosek

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The St. Louis Blues have subtracted some big names from their roster in recent weeks, including first-line winger Vladimir Tarasenko and team captain Ryan O’Reilly. While pending unrestricted free agent Ivan Barbashev could be next on his way out, the Blues are also lined up to get some players back into their lineup as well. Blues head coach Craig Berube told the media (including NHL.com’s Lou Korac) that both Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich are likely to return in time for tomorrow’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

While the playoffs aren’t really in the picture for the Blues any longer, getting both Saad and Buchnevich back should help the team play competitive hockey down the stretch. Buchnevich is arguably the Blues’ best player, with 43 points in 42 games alongside great two-way play. While Saad isn’t as impactful as Buchnevich, he has 15 goals to his name this season and contributes on special teams. Getting them back up and running again will be a major help to Berube as he looks to spark something in what remains of this disappointing Blues season.

Some other injury updates from across the NHL:

  • Top trade candidate Timo Meier is questionable for tomorrow’s San Jose Sharks vs. Nashville Predators contest due to an upper-body injury, relays The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak. This is a situation to monitor for fans across the NHL, as Meier is one of the most sought-after players currently available on the trade market. The Swiss winger has scored 52 points in 57 games and one has to hope that any injury Meier is dealing with proves to be just a minor setback.
  • We have an update on Anthony Mantha, who left last night’s Washington Capitals game with an injury. Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette says, via The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, that Mantha’s status is officially considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. It’s been an extremely difficult season for Mantha, who hasn’t scored nearly as well as he’d likely have expected to. The 28-year-old has 24 points in 54 games this season, and will look to get back into the lineup so he can finish this season on a productive note.
  •  Although Boston Bruins fourth-line center Tomas Nosek has been out of the lineup since a mid-January contest against the New York Rangers with a foot fracture, he could be nearing a return. Per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, Nosek is practicing again with the Bruins. The 30-year-old undrafted player is a well-regarded two-way bottom-sixer, and his return should bolster the Bruins’ penalty kill as he’s their top shorthanded forward by ice time when healthy.

Timo Meier Out Day-To-Day

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According to head coach David Quinn, San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier has been sidelined with an upper-body injury.

It’s unclear when Meier sustained the injury, though Meier has been listed as day-to-day. Meier did not participate in the team’s practice today, and Quinn notes he’s questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

However, the most notable factor surrounding Meier’s absence is his status as the top trade target remaining before the March 3 trade deadline.

The 25-year-old Swiss forward has been an important part of the Sharks’ offense this season, scoring 31 goals and 21 assists in 57 games. With names such as Bo Horvat, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Ryan O’Reilly now off the trade board, Meier, a pending restricted free agent, is the best forward available on the trade market.

According to various reports, the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes are leading candidates to acquire Meier. Both teams need a top-six forward to counter the New York Rangers’ — their divisional rivals — move to add Tarasenko. The Toronto Maple Leafs are out of the picture after acquiring O’Reilly, but the Winnipeg Jets have also had reported interest in the Sharks sniper.

Meier is expected to generate a large return for the Sharks, and his status as a trade asset is more important than his on-ice benefit to the team at this point in the season. San Jose is just six points ahead of the last-place Chicago Blackhawks.

Hopefully, Meier’s absence is very short-term, which won’t affect his trade value. While it’s never easy to trade a talented player like Meier, it’s a move that could help the Sharks in the long run. Acquiring assets that can help them in the future is a necessary step to building a sustainable contender.

Snapshots: Sharks, DeBrusk, Smith

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The San Jose Sharks may be prepared to buck a recent trend among the NHL’s sellers. Head coach David Quinn has not talked to the team’s general manager, Mike Grier, about benching players for trade-related reasons, he told reporters, including The Athletic’s Corey Masisak, today.

Quinn emphasized that both of the Sharks’ high-profile trade targets, Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson, are currently under contract or team control for the next season, and the team is not obligated to trade them by the March 3 trade deadline. However, given the fervent pace of recent rumors surrounding both players, it would be shocking if neither were moved. While the financial hurdles to a Karlsson trade are understandable, Meier’s status as a pending restricted free agent gives his acquiring team some control in dictating his financial future, and a trade seems inevitable.

  • Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery is reportedly optimistic about the return of winger Jake DeBrusk, says The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont. DeBrusk has been out of the lineup since January 2 due to a fractured fibula and is two weeks behind schedule. Still, Montgomery is hopeful that he’ll be able to return for their game against the New York Islanders on Saturday. DeBrusk’s return will be a welcome addition to the Bruins lineup, as his 0.83 points per game rank fourth among Bruins forwards. He’s excelled with significant playing time on the top line alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.
  • In a puzzling move, the Tampa Bay Lightning today loaned forward Gemel Smith to the Henderson Silver Knights, the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. Tampa’s affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, announced the news this afternoon. Smith hasn’t played with the Lightning this season, but has lit up the minors with 37 points in 35 games with Syracuse thus far. It’s unclear what, if any, compensation Syracuse might receive for losing their third-leading scorer to a different organization.

Trade Rumors: Meier, Gavrikov, Demko

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The latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading saw analysts such as Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston discuss some of the highest-profile names available on the market ahead of the trade deadline. One of those is San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier, and LeBrun gave significant updates on the two apparent frontrunners for his services: the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes.

On the New Jersey front, LeBrun says things are heating up, with talks accelerating between the two parties over the last 48 hours. Meier’s status as a pending restricted free agent is likely jamming up the works in getting a trade finalized, though, as LeBrun reports the Devils’ interest in Meier hinges on an extension as part of the trade. That’s a complicating factor, as LeBrun reported days ago that the Sharks have not yet permitted Meier’s agent, Claude Lemieux, to discuss potential extension terms with interested teams.

For the Hurricanes, it’s the opposite. LeBrun called them the more “open-minded” of the two front-runners, as they reportedly don’t need an extension worked out as part of the trade.

  • LeBrun also gave an update on Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who’s scratched tonight for asset protection. He named the Edmonton Oilers as a fit for Gavrikov, as while their interest in San Jose Sharks superstar Erik Karlsson is well-documented, the financial aspect of the trade is likely too tough to work out. A swap with Gavrikov and oft-maligned forward Jesse Puljujarvi would save Edmonton money, as Gavrikov’s $2.8MM cap hit comes in $200,000 under Puljujarvi’s $3MM hit. Johnston also added that there may be some “sticker shock” for teams calling on Gavrikov, as Columbus is holding firm to an ask of a first-round, third-round, and fourth-round draft pick.
  • Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko told reporters including CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal today that rumors of a trade request are unfounded. Dhaliwal added that Demko’s agent, Jordan Neumann, had reiterated to him that Demko didn’t want out of the Canucks organization. After a two-and-a-half month absence due to injury, Demko is close to returning to the Canucks lineup in the near future.

Snapshots: Meier, Johnson, WHL Suspensions

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While the major news of the day from a trade deadline perspective revolves around Jakob Chychrun, San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier remains the top forward option on the market for many teams. We covered how teams would be potentially interested in Meier even as a rental forward, despite the fact that he has one year remaining of eligibility for restricted free agency — albeit with a pricey $10MM qualifying offer attached.

Today, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Sharks have not yet given permission to Meier and his agent, former NHLer Claude Lemieux, to negotiate the terms of a potential contract extension with interested teams. LeBrun did note, though, that “the expectation is that will happen closer to trade offers being firmed up.” But the fact that these talks have not yet occurred could be an indication that the Meier trade process isn’t quite as far along as the Chychrun saga seems to be, especially given today’s news of Chychrun being healthy scratched.

Some other notes from across the hockey world:

  • The Colorado Avalanche announced that veteran blueliner Erik Johnson would not return to tonight’s game due to a lower-body injury. Dater on Hockey’s Adrian Dater added that the “worry is it might be broken foot,” but no further information beyond that has been released. A broken foot would obviously be a massive blow for the Avalanche as they look to climb the standings down the stretch, so all involved will likely be hoping that what knocked Johnson out of the game ends up being only a minor obstacle.
  • The WHL announced that four Moose Jaw Warriors players have been indefinitely suspended pending an investigation into possible violations of team rules and the WHL’s Standard of Conduct policies. No further details beyond that were given in the league’s announcement. Of note is that one of the suspended players, Maximus Wanner, is an Edmonton Oilers 2021 seventh-round pick who signed his entry-level deal with the team in September.

Latest On Timo Meier

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The Timo Meier-to-New Jersey train has been gathering speed for the last few weeks. It seems like a perfect fit, and now with the New York Islanders and New York Rangers both loading up with Bo Horvat and Vladimir Tarasenko respectively, the Devils might have to keep pace.

Today, though, on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman suggested that two other teams could be involved in Meier trade talks. The first, which shouldn’t surprise many, is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Friedman noted that Kyle Dubas’ recent comments about not spending high picks and prospects were contingent on the term “rentals,” which, technically, Meier isn’t. The San Jose Sharks forward has a $10MM qualifying offer this offseason and has reportedly been open to potentially signing an extension wherever he lands, should it make sense.

One guy said to me that there are teams out there thinking that Toronto, at the very least have considered: ’do we go get Meier for this run, and then sort it out later.’ Basically punt the decision to the summer. 

Toronto isn’t the only one, though. Friedman notes there are a number of Eastern Conference teams after Meier and at least a few from the West. One of those is the Winnipeg Jets, apparently, who Friedman has also heard about in regard to Meier. With a new coaching staff the Jets look like a lock for the playoffs again and could even still compete for the Central Division crown with a good stretch run. With Blake Wheeler coming off the cap after the 2023-24 season, they’ll also have some flexibility in terms of a long-term extension if they were to land the star winger.

Almost everything surrounding Meier right now is speculative, though. The Sharks appear ready to wait out the market and make sure they get the biggest haul possible, and for a good reason. The 26-year-old Meier is a legitimate difference-maker, who already has 30 goals this season and can drive a line by himself. You don’t always have a chance to acquire in-their-prime assets at the deadline, especially not forwards that can play 20 minutes a night.

If Toronto and Winnipeg do get involved, it won’t be an easy bidding war. Things are set up to be quite beneficial for the Sharks, even if they are selling off a beloved homegrown star.

Morning Notes: Chytil, Meier, Maple Leafs

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Things just got more difficult for the New York Rangers, argues Larry Brooks of the New York Post, who posits the Dylan Cozens contract will have a serious effect on negotiations with Filip Chytil this offseason. The 23-year-old Chytil has 32 points in 43 games this season and is currently on a five-game goal streak, bringing his total to a career-high 19 on the year.

With the Rangers looking destined for the playoffs and connected to just about every high-profile trade target, they’ll have to remember to leave enough room to extend their young breakout center. New contracts are also due for several others, including K’Andre Miller, who has flashed his own moments of superstar talent this season.

  • Speaking of high-profile trade targets, San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier has been connected to the Rangers, and the club is listed in Matt Larkin’s deep dive today for Daily Faceoff as a potential destination. The piece looks at five landing spots and how Meier would fit in, both this season and on a potential extension. There will be endless speculation regarding the winger over the next few weeks as he enters deadline season with plenty of heat.
  • Meier has also been tenuously linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are the focus of Chris Johnston’s latest for NorthStar Bets. The NHL insider details the Maple Leafs’ openings and assets, hinting they may make multiple moves this deadline to bolster different positions. Just as we wrote in our recent Trade Deadline Primer, though, Toronto’s pile of assets to choose from is looking rather small at the moment.

Snapshots: Meier, Larkin, Mikkola

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The New York Rangers have their sights set on San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier, according to Frank Servalli of Daily Faceoff. The pending restricted free agent is now New York’s “No. 1 target” says the insider, who also points out how well Sharks general manager Mike Grier knows the Rangers organization from his time as a hockey operations coordinator there.

They won’t be the only time, though. Meier is set to be the hottest deadline chip and currently resides at the top of the TSN Trade Bait Board, with expected interest from the New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and many others, along with the Rangers.

  • Dylan Larkin, meanwhile, is also approaching free agency and could be a huge chip for the Detroit Red Wings if they can’t come to an extension. On that front, Larkin and agent Pat Brisson will meet this weekend according to Pierre LeBrun, who noted on TSN’s Insider Trading that Larkin does have a full no-movement clause and could essentially decide his own fate at the deadline. Recent reports have indicated that the Red Wings offered Larkin an eight-year, $64MM deal to try and keep him in Detroit long-term.
  • Another name that has emerged as a deadline candidate is Niko Mikkola of the St. Louis Blues, according to Seravalli, who profiled his case yesterday. Mikkola is a pending UFA who could offer physical, shutdown play in a depth role for a contender this season. Given his age – the big Finn won’t turn 27 until April – he could also be a candidate for an extension with whatever team acquires him, should the Blues decide to sell.

Snapshots: Meier, Monahan, Barbashev

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San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier could be one of the most in-demand names on the trade market as we inch closer to the deadline, and potential suitors for his services are starting to become clearer. On TSN’s Insider Trading program, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun revealed that he had interviewed New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and that in the interview Fitzgerald confirmed the Devils’ interest in acquiring a top-six winger.

On Insider Trading, LeBrun added that Meier would “fit exactly what the Devils want” in a top-six forward, especially given that there is the potential for any team acquiring Meier to retain him beyond just this season. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta noted that the Devils have not had any recent contract talks with pending RFA winger Jesper Bratt and his representatives. While Pagnotta did clarify that the Devils and Bratt still have a mutual interest in getting an extension hammered out, it is fair to wonder what kind of implications the team’s interest in Meier could have on Bratt’s future in New Jersey.

Some other notes from across the NHL:

  • LeBrun also spoke on Insider Trading about Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan. LeBrun reported that the Colorado Avalanche are a “team to monitor” when it comes to a potential trade fit for the veteran pivot. The Avalanche have long been rumored to be seeking help down the middle and could opt for the injured Monahan, who has scored 17 points in 25 games in Montreal, as a cheaper option than higher-end choices such as Ryan O’Reilly or Bo Horvat.
  • On Insider Trading, Johnston also issued an update on St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev. He reported that Barbashev “is a name that has started to circulate” on the trade market, even though the Blues are still holding out some hope that they could go on a run that would put them back into the playoff mix. The 27-year-old forward is an unrestricted free agent after this season and has scored 23 points in 48 games. While that points production doesn’t jump off the page, it’s worth remembering that Barbashev scored 26 goals and 60 points just a year ago.

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