It’s a fairly competitive package with the picks alone. Change Kokkonen/Robertson to Knies and it would be hard to beat.

I think the sharks and leafs would be at a little bit of an impasse because sharks likely want knies + a first and leafs definitely want to keep him. But teams also get the opportunity to get an extension in place before the trade so that should drive the price up a little bit

A big overpay for a Meier who would be a UFA in the summer when the Leafs can't qualify him.

Trade him like Minnesota did with Fiala at the draft to recoup some assets if they can’t extend him

Name a team that has 9m to sign him and would trade for him? There isn't one. Those teams that have 9m just sign for UFAs . The return for Meier certainly wouldn't be much. Fiala's QO was much lower, so he was a much easier trade. And it's not like there is a lot of time at the end of playoffs for the Leafs (or other teams) to make decisions. it's July 1st when the QO has to come

Trade for him at deadline. Then trade him to NJD at the Draft for something close to Fiala return and you can recoup a lot of your investment.

I think NJD would offer something like Foote + 1st + 3rd or Mukhamadullin + 1st and be able to pay the salary (I am expecting something in mid/low 8’s). Meier would check a lot of boxes for NJD. And there has long been speculation that Hischier and Meier want to play together due to their chemistry on international team.

Wow, do you think the Devils would give up much if for Meier RFA rights? Meier's QO is 9m, Fiala's was 5.5m. Jersey or any team really don't have pay 9m for a RFA, just sign a UFA. I can't see any team offering much for Meier as a RFA. Probably the Devils, Wings and Sabres are the only three teams with cap that could do the deal by July 1st...and even then why give up much for a winger, when you can spend 9m on a UFA.

Leafs take that deal in that you offered in your following post.

Because meier is a top line winger that is 26 and you can sign for 8 years at that price. PPG with 40+ goals on team that only has 3 good players. Meier could definitely get better for that reason too, but I imagine whoever trades for meier gets an extension in place or (my personal preference) the sharks just sign him long term because our cap hell is essentially over by 2024/25 season and definitely by 25/26

Yeah, I think the Sharks should retain him. If nothing else, if two parties don't come to contract extension in the summer, just QO him. A long term contract can still be worked out, and if not, he still holds trade value at 2024 TDL.

It would have to come with contract extension.

Meier’s QO is actually $10m, but I doubt it ever gets that far. If he remains unsigned in late June, whoever owns his rights will likely take him to arbitration (the earlier, pre-draft window is the team-elected period). At worst, he probably gets awarded something around $8.5m (and would have to be 1-year deal). The team would have time to negotiate a long-term deal with him up until his hearing. If no deal is reached, and he is awarded a 1-year contract, he cannot extend until January, but his team can talk to him for months up until that point. If no agreement is made, they can still trade him at 2024 deadline.

But that is all likely moot as San Jose is now allowing teams to talk extension with Meier before deadline. So where he goes, he probably extends anyway.

His contract leverage works like a de facto no-trade clause. If he doesn’t want to play in San Jose, I don’t think keeping him makes much sense. He likely will have a big say in where he ends up as San Jose will want to trade him with a pre-negotiated extension in place so they can get highest return.

I agree but his "pre negotiated" contract makes it a really tough trade during this season. Few teams have the cap for him next season without disturbing their lineup (moving a high priced player). A contender doesn't want that presence in the locker room, though Wings, Sabres and Devils have the cap next season.
I just wonder what the Devils would want to give up this season to secure a 8 year X 8.75m contract for example. Or do the Devils take their chances in free agency and get a 8.75m player for free.

My guess on Fitzgerald's thinking:

1. Probably in no rush to make such a big move before deadline. His public comments suggest he believes team-building should be done in off-season.
2. His priority will be to first lock down Jesper Bratt
3. He will have the ammo (cap space, picks, prospects) to be aggressive in off-season.
4. He has 'types' of players he wants: big interior forward who can score in close, or has he says, "heavy skill"...and long, mobile dmen with puck skills. Meier checks the former box (and has personal connection and chemistry with Hischier). So Fitzy very likely will do what it takes if he sees a good fit. He went all-in on Hamilton a couple years ago and again on Tkachuk last summer. Despite being a fairly conservative GM, when he wants a player, he can be aggressive. Contrast that with the Gaudreau pursuit, which was, at best, half-hearted. He called Johnny and made offer that day just as free agency opened up (probably to raise the price since Philly and NYI were rumored to be making offers). As the day moved along, as it became clear that NJD was likely Gaudreau's first choice, Fitzy ghosted him. Gaudreau even brought it up himself on Spittin Chicklets, said he waited all afternoon for NJ to call him back. Then once CBJ moved in, he had to make a decision.

I wouldn't be surprised if Meier was the guy he has been saving his ammo to acquire. If its $8.25m or $8.75m, I don't think it will make much of a difference, especially since there will not likely be a UFA on market that is worth $8.75m (Pastrnak probably re-ups in Boston).