Is Tarasenko Trade a Model for Potential Meier Deal?

Check out my “Sharks Pregame Live” hit from yesterday!

Sheng Peng: My guess? The San Jose Sharks trade Timo Meier.

But maybe not by this Mar. 3 Trade Deadline.

I spoke with an NHL executive two weeks ago who expected a Bo Horvat-like return for Meier.

That would be a 1st round pick, a Grade-B prospect like Aatu Raty, and another decent but not spectacular young player like Anthony Beauvillier.

But a couple sources pushed back on that caliber of return for Meier, noting that Meier is an RFA and not a UFA like Horvat, so he’s got another year under team control. Also, Meier is arguably, besides a much-older Patrick Kane, the lone elite scorer left on the trade market.

So will the San Jose Sharks get a huge return for Meier?

I think what it’ll depend on is whether or not there are teams out there who see Meier not just as a one or two-year boost to their offense, but as a max contract guy, a franchise cornerstone guy. He’s going to be expensive to re-sign.

If a couple teams see Meier as a franchise cornerstone, then the San Jose Sharks might strike it rich.

One note, Vladimir Tarasenko was traded today, going to the Blues from the Rangers: Spoke with a source, that’s not going to affect Meier’s trade return much. Tarasenko was a great sniper, but he’s 31, and Meier is seen as a clearly better player right now. There isn’t any comparison.