Sharks reveal asking price for Meier; Three packages that the Leafs can offer to get a deal done
The Leafs have already been linked to San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier by multiple NHL Insiders. However, up until now, we didn't know exactly how high the asking price was from the Sharks in any trade for Meier.
Per Sharks correspondent Sheng Peng, the Sharks are looking for three pieces in exchange for Meier, but could end up being two pieces, if those pieces are good enough. Peng says the Sharks are currently looking for a 1st round pick this year as the starting point. As far as the second and third pieces, if a team is also willing to part with their top prospect, the Sharks would reportedly consider doing the deal for two pieces. If not, in addition to the 2023 1st rounder, the Sharks also want at least two "B" prospects or one good prospect and a young player currently playing on an NHL roster.
For the Leafs, there are 3 packages that could entice the Sharks:
1. The Leafs' 2023 1st round pick + Matthew Knies
This one is pretty self-explanatory. The Leafs' top pick and top prospect in exchange for Meier, a pending RFA. This deal might only make sense for the Leafs if they believe they can extend Meier. However, they may still consider it if Dubas thinks he can bring back a similar package if he does this deal and then flips Meier to another team at the draft. The tricky part here is that we've often heard Knies being referred to as a bit of a "unicorn". If he is as unique as he seems to be, getting back a player with a similar skill level could be tough.
2. The Leafs' 2023 1st round pick + Topi Niemela and Ty Voit
Niemela is the top RHD prospect in the Leafs' system right now who isn't currently playing in the NHL. The 2021 World Junior Championship Tournament's "best defenseman" certainly qualifies as at least a B prospect, even if he's had a bit of a down year. Leafs fans may not be wild about moving him, but if you want a player like Timo Meier, you're going to have to give something to get something and the Sharks are going to receive offers from other teams with similar high-ceiling players.
While Voit leads the OHL in scoring, history is chock full of examples of players who were very strong in Junior whose skills did not translate to NHL success. A prospect, at the end of the day, is just a prospect. There are no guarantees that he'll produce at a similar rate when the time and space is less and the opposing players are bigger, faster and stronger.
As former 3rd and 5th round picks, respectively, Niemela and Voit should still be considered B prospects, given how high their ceilings appear to be.
3. The Leafs' 2023 1st round pick + Artur Akhtyamov and Nick Robertson
This one could be the closest thing to a realistic offer that both the Leafs and the Sharks could live with. From the Leafs' perspective, this one, again, only makes sense either with an extension on the table or if they plan to flip Meier at the draft to recoup some comparable assets. Like it or not, the Leafs don't have a lot of "young roster player" types who are movable. You're not moving Rasmus Sandin or Timothy Liljegren, so as much as Robertson seems like a significant piece to move, it beats the alternative. Robertson has had his issues with staying healthy, but he is still very much considered a very good prospect - a high-ceiling type prospect. He also fits the bill of "young roster player". The Leafs must have their concerns and with the Robertson bloodline already producing one superstar winger, there must be some belief around the league that Nick can excel as well if he can simply find a way to stay healthy. A change of scenery might do the California native some good and perhaps the Sharks would have an interest in taking a chance on the 21-year-old.
This one is a little more creative. Artur Akhtyamov is arguably the Leafs' top goaltending prospect behind Joseph Woll right now, considering the year he's having. However, there are limited spots available in goal and the Buds have a boat load of goaltending prospects in the system with Woll, Erik Kallgren, Dennis Hildeby, Vyacheslav Peksa, Dryden McKay, Keith Petruzzelli and Dylan Ferguson also in the fold. With the Sharks not having many decent goaltending prospects outside of Strauss Mann, perhaps Akhtyamov could be appealing - especially with his 20-11-3 record, 1.75 GAA and astonishing .943 SV% through 35 games this season in the VHL (Russia's equivalent of the AHL).
I'm not necessarily saying that these are the trades that the Leafs should make, I'm simply providing some realistic offers that the Sharks would push for and trades that could make sense under the right circumstances. Keep in mind that there will be other teams in on Meier, which could create a bit of a bidding war, ultimately driving up the price. New Jersey is another team who is believed to be high on Meier and who has the pieces to get a deal done.
There are currently 4 and a half weeks remaining until the March 3rd trade deadline and we've already seen a major piece come off the board in Bo Horvat after he was dealt to the New York Islanders on Monday evening. Kyle Dubas won't want to wait around too long and watch some of the other big pieces perhaps landing with a division rival like Tampa or Boston, so I think we'll see him complete a deal sooner rather than later. As we've seen in the past, Dubas likes to get the majority of his deals done early to give his new players time to adjust, which means that we could see a move as soon as this week.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 31 | 307 ANSWERS Sharks reveal asking price for Meier; Three packages that the Leafs can offer to get a deal done Which of these 3 deals for Timo Meier would you be most comfortable with if you had to choose one? | ||
| 1st, Knies | 10 | 3.3 % |
| 1st, Niemela, Voit | 70 | 22.8 % |
| 1st, Akhtyamov, Robertson | 227 | 73.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
