Lindy Ruff Benches Devils Highest Paid Forward After Embarrassing Start to Season

So far this season, Meier has not been worth the contract in the three games he has played. In three games, he has no points, four shots, and four hits. Meier is struggling to start the season. It is surprising since he had five points in three preseason games and looked to really be clicking with the team.

Meier had taken two careless tripping penalties in the game, both in the second period, that halted the Devils momentum. Once the third period started Meier just had one more shift.

Meier was traded around the deadline from the San Jose Sharks to the Devils, along with Scott Harrington and prospects Timur Ibragimov, Santeri Hatakka, and Zach Emond, for a 2023 first-round pick, a conditional 2024 first-rounder, Andreas Johnsson, Fabian Zetterlund, and prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk.

Once he was acquired, Meier posted 14 points in 21 games and really seemed to be clicking as the season ended. In the 2022-23 playoffs, he had just four points in 11 games, as a majority of Devils struggled, despite the team moving on to the second round.