Is Timo Meier the Odd Man Out for the New Jersey Devils?

Q: What are Timo Meier's current statistics with the New Jersey Devils?

In the 2025-26 season, Timo Meier recorded 44 points, including 24 goals, across 77 games.

Q: Why might the New Jersey Devils consider trading Timo Meier?

The Devils may consider trading Meier due to his declining production and the need to improve their roster with more effective players.

Q: How has Timo Meier's performance changed since joining the Devils?

Since joining the Devils, Meier's point totals have decreased each season, with his goal-scoring pace dropping from 33 goals in 2023-24 to just 24 in 2025-26.

Q: What is the significance of Timo Meier's contract for the Devils?

Meier's $8.8 million contract makes him the highest-paid forward on the team, and his underperformance raises concerns about the team's salary cap management and overall competitiveness.

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 12: Timo Meier #28 of the New Jersey Devils skates during the first period of the game against the Ottawa Senators on April 12, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images Timo Meier still has five seasons to go on the eight year deal he signed in late June of 2023. Yet this season has to have the New Jersey Devils and their fans questioning if he plays out the end of it in New Jersey. When the team acquired Meier at the 2023 trade deadline, it was seen a a brilliant move. Sure, there were some pieces with value going to San Jose, but it looked as if then-GM Tom Fitzgerald had acquired quality with quantity. Meier didn’t post his best numbers upon his debut, but 14 points over a 21 game span while adjusting to a new team seemed reasonable enough. He would go cold in the playoffs as most of the Devils did that season as the team bowed out in the second round. Since then? It’s been mostly a downward slide for Timo and for the guy whose agent got him the highest contract of any current Devils forward, that’s unbelievably concerning. Across his 78 games split between the Devils and Sharks in 2022-23, Meier scored 66 points, with FORTY of them being goals. That was why the Devils traded for him: goal scoring. 2023-24 saw Meier only appear in 69 contests, and his total points speed to 52 with 28 goals. Okay, not great, but not awful either; give him a full season and he’ll bounce back right? 2024-25 saw Meier play in 80 games and only record 53 points; while one more than the season prior, that means the amount of points Timo contributed per game was down. More concerning was the goal total taking a slight hit to 26. In 2023-24 Meier was scoring at a pace of 33 goals across 82 games. 2024-25 was a 27 goal pace across 82 games. This past season was yet another slight decline in games played (77), goals scored (24) and goal pace (26) across an 82 game season. Slight dips like that aren’t the problem though, it’s the fave that Meier’s numbers haven’t gone back up to the level of what you’d expect from an $8.8 million forward. In that regard, maybe Timo never does climb to those numbers again, as he’s at the age where forwards typically exit their prime production. Yet it’s not unheard of for forwards to have some of their better seasons in their 30s as well. While the concern has to be his numbers continuing to trend downward, the Devils need him to find some more offense to justify keeping him on the roster. He’s supposed to be one of the more talented forwards, yet only registered 44 total points in 2025-26. If that number decreases again, the Devils might need to consider selling low. The team’s goal this offseason is to supplement their retained players with more talent, not just with warm bodies to fill lower spots in the lineup. That also means that the Devils don’t want to see anyone else on the roster have a dip in production once 2026-27 begins. If Meier continues to trend in the wrong direction, it might benefit the Devils to move him off the roster, even if they have to retain on his contract to do so. Meier’s lack of production has made him appear as the odd man out from the current group of Devils. With the cap set to rise over the next couple of seasons, it might wind up being more cost effective for the Devils to not have Meier on the roster if he can’t turn things around. An underachiever as the highest paid forward isn’t exactly setting a positive tone for the team. I do think Timo is worth giving at least one more season to turn things around after the down year the Devils had as a whole, but if he doesn’t bounce back it may be time to put trade feelers out. What are your thoughts on Timo Meier’s time with the Devils? Are you disappointed in his overall production? Would you rather see just more goal scoring from him? Do you see him bouncing back in 2026-27 or do you think the Devils will have to look to shop him? Leave any and all comments before and thanks as always for reading!