The New Jersey Devils have quite a few point producers. One of those players struggled so far this season, and Sheldon Keefe took notice.
Keefe didn’t hold back on his confidence in Timo Meier following New Jersey’s big win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meier scored two goals in the game’s first 13 minutes and less than five minutes apart from one another.
That marked an incredible turnaround for Meier, who had just one goal and five points in New Jersey’s first 17 games.
Via Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com, Keefe said of Meier:
“Timo’s played some of his best hockey in my time here, and he hasn’t been rewarded for it. But he hasn’t cheated the game at all as he’s gone through. He hasn’t gotten frustrated.”
Keefe was transparent that Meier’s struggles equated more to the puck not bouncing his way as opposed to struggling outright. He also acknowledged that Meier kept playing his game and didn’t do anything rash despite posting one assist in his previous nine matchups before Sunday night.
Keefe’s confidence was further reflected in Meier’s ice time. Despite not producing, Meier still averaged 16:24 per game, giving him primarily top-six minutes. In the Devils’ shootout win over the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 3, Meier even eclipsed the 20-minute mark. He logged 18:35 of ice time on Sunday.
Sheldon Keefe Reveals What He’s Seen From Timo Meier
At the moment, few people know the Devils better than Keefe. Even if Meier’s numbers don’t look good to the general audience, or if he were struggling in some advanced metric, it’s irrelevant if the coach is seeing a good hockey player.
Keefe’s comments were also a reminder that points don’t always reflect how a player is playing. One good example is Meier’s Corsi For Percentage at even strength, which is 55.2. So far, that number is on pace for a career-high with New Jersey.
Meier’s 9.8 on-ice shooting percentage is also his highest since he posted a 10.6 in 2023 during his first 21 games in a Devils jersey. His offensive-zone starting percentage at even strength is 44.9. This further shows how well he is helping the Devils move the puck into the offensive zone and create chances.
There is substantial evidence pointing to Meier having played well despite struggling to help the Devils finish sequences. He took part in creating, but has been inconsistent in finishing.
Meier May Have Finally Broken Through Against The Maple Leafs
In some cases, it takes one game to turn one’s luck around. With Meier continually finding ways to help his team win, it was a matter of time before things went his way.
If he keeps playing his version of the game, there is no doubt that he will end up seeing more nights as he did on Sunday than he has early this season. As the Devils continue chasing the Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan standings, Meier will be one to watch.
If his two-goal outing against Toronto really was a breakthrough, he is yet another point producer opponents must continually account for. That is, if they haven’t already accounted for him, given his overall solid play.
Devils’ Sheldon Keefe Sends Strong Message About Struggling Veteran