There are few players as important to the San Jose Sharks as Timo Meier. The Swiss forward led the Sharks in scoring last year, setting career highs in goals (35), assists (41), and points (76). He’s a spectacular scoring winger without many weak spots in his game, and he would be expected to lead the Sharks into their next period of contention alongside Tomas Hertl.
But speaking today at the NHL’s European Player Media Tour, Meier said he’s had no discussions yet on a contract extension with the Sharks, aside from an introductory phone call with new general manager Mike Grier on July 5. Meier is entering the final season of a four-year, $24MM contract signed in 2019.
He will again be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer, meaning he’s due a qualifying offer. Meier’s actual salary in 2022-23 is $10MM, which should raise some eyebrows about the value of that qualifying offer, and rightfully so. But a change to the qualifying offer rules in the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement extension means that Meier can’t receive a qualifying offer greater than 120% of his previous deal’s cap hit, meaning he’s only owned a one-year, $7.2MM deal as compared to a one-year, $10MM deal from the Sharks.
Financially, for Meier, this is the most important season of his NHL career. At 26 years old next summer, he’ll undoubtedly sign a long-term deal that should take him well into his 30s, whether it’s with the Sharks or someone else. If his production takes a step back next season, though, the Sharks may very well want to settle for a one-year contract awarded through arbitration.
The Sharks, in any event, will likely need to make a cap-clearing move next summer as they turn the corner back toward competitiveness. The anchor contracts of Logan Couture ($8MM), Erik Karlsson ($11.5MM), and Marc-Edouard Vlasic ($7MM) don’t expire until 2026 and 2027, so relief from those deals won’t come for quite a while.
Logan couture at 8 million is not an anchor by any means.
Considering his production and age, it’s not a good contract. It’s not Vlasic level, but that isn’t saying much.
Tell that cheap ass owner to spend some money and buy out Pickles and try and trade Couture & Karlsson.
If the Sharks are going to be bad (which they will be) then let the kids play and gain experience.
Stick to baseball
Well Mr Baseball, how do you trade horrible contracts with multiple years left on them- well you will have to attach multiple 1st rd picks or equivalent prospects.
Not the best think to do when you are a lottery team each year in the draft!!!!
You see management probably has tried to trade these contracts , but it also takes another team actually wanting them!
After missing out on both Johnny Hockey and Tkachuk, Devils should deal to reunite Meier with fellow countryman Hischer as they have shown their chemistry on international stage.
Perhaps something based off of their 2023 1st, an expiring contract (Severson), 2 young players (Boqvist and Zetterlund).
Bratt-Hughes-Holtz
Palat-Hischer-Meier
Foote-Mercer-Sharangovich
Wood-Haula-Bastian
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Hughes-Marino
Bahl/Okhotyuk/Smith-Nemec
Vanecek/Blackwood
This is almost playoff good except the 3rd line C and LW, all left D, and goalie
What happened to Graves?
Damn. And I like him too. Lol
Smh, I should stay away from posting. Lol
And I thought Meier was due a $10M qualifier as well, but assumed this article knew better. They have a lot of $$ coming off the books next year, but Meier at $10M is ridiculous.
Hughes doesn’t join Devils until after his college year is over anyway, so that’s where Graves would go.
I’m not 100% sure but I believe because Meier signed his contract before 2020 he his owed a $10 million qualifying offer and not 7.2.
I believe you are correct Breakaway. Meier is due a $10M qualifying offer from what I can find and he is clearly not affording that much value. Maybe 7-8M but not close to 10M.
The new CBA was for contracts signed 2020 and beyond I believe and his was signed in 2019.
He is exempt from the new rules.