Timo Meier is about to hit a major number in a Devils sweater. When New Jersey takes on the New York Islanders tonight, Oct. 3, Meier will be playing in his 700th NHL game.
The milestone comes after a move that reshaped both his career and New Jersey’s forward group. The Devils landed Meier from the San Jose Sharks in February 2023 in a blockbuster deal that also sent Scott Harrington, Santeri Hatakka, Timur Ibragimov, Zachary Emond, and a fifth-round 2024 Draft pick to New Jersey. Four months later, the team locked him up on an eight-year, $70.4 million extension with an $8.8 million cap hit.
Meier has delivered the kind of offensive punch the Devils expected when they brought him in. He has scored at least 20 goals in each of the last five seasons, and his peak came in 2022-23 when he buried 40. Since 2023-24, he has ranked fourth on the club in scoring while continuing to matter on the power play.
His game still looks built to wear opponents down. Meier is a heavy shooter and a true power forward, the type who can create offense just by getting inside and staying on pucks.
He uses his size and strength to win battles and generate second chances for linemates. Last season, NHL Edge data had him near the top of the league in hardest shot at 94.3 miles per hour and shots on goal with 269.
The point totals have dipped lately, but Meier enters 2026-27 positioned for a big role again. He had a strong preseason, putting up one goal, one assist, nine shot attempts, five shots on goal, and four high-danger scoring opportunities in two games.
He has also found immediate chemistry in the Devils’ top six next to Nico Hischier and Luke Evangelista. That trio has clicked quickly, and it would not be a surprise if the Meier-Hischier-Evangelista line becomes a steady source of offense this season.
Meier will be looking for his first point of the year in New Jersey’s second game of 2026-27, as the Devils try to stretch their winning streak to two.
In Other News...
Devils Rookie Is Forcing A Tough Call Before The Rangers Game
With the Devils getting ready for a crucial matchup against the Rangers, Sheldon Keefe is already making changes up front in an effort to tighten things before the puck drops. Anthony Mantha is being moved, Arseny Gritsyuk is getting a look on the top line, and the focus is squarely on keeping New Jersey out of trouble against a New York team that can make mistakes expensive.
Amadeus Lombardis recent penalties have put him in an awkward spot, and the coaching staff may decide the safest move is to sit the rookie rather than risk handing the Rangers extra chances on the power play. New Jersey is trying to build on its recent win and keep moving its record in the right direction, but the margin for error still looks thin with the Devils sorting through goaltending and defensive concerns at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Need More From These Forwards Before This Becomes A Problem
The Devils are still sorting out what this new-look roster really is after a 3-3 start, and the early read is pretty clear: Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are carrying the offense while the rest of the forward group has been slower to join in. New Jersey expected more depth scoring than this, especially with a handful of forwards in positions to make a bigger impact as the season settles in.
Dawson Mercer is the name that stands out most in that discussion, because the Devils were counting on a step forward and have not gotten much of one yet. Amadeus Lombardi and Timo Meier have also been light on production, which is fine for a week in October but starts to matter quickly if the scoring spread stays this narrow. The good news for New Jersey is that the season is young, and the issue is still fixable, but the pressure to get more from that group is only going to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Fans Get An Early Rivalry Test Against The Rangers
The Hudson River Rivalry gets an early-season stage Thursday night at Prudential Center, where the Devils and Rangers are set to meet at 7 p.m. It is the kind of matchup that tends to carry a little more edge than a normal regular-season game, and Devils captain Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Connor Brown and Brett Pesce all weighed in on what makes the rivalry feel different.
For New Jersey, these games are about more than just points in the standings. The familiar tension with New York gives the night extra weight for the players and the building, and it also opens a season-long series that should keep both clubs thinking about the next meeting as much as the one in front of them. Thursday is only the first chance to see how the Devils handle that pressure this time around. [Read more 🡒]