REPORT: Sharks, Meier Still Haven’t Started Contract Negotiations

It’s the same news as last month.

But like the Tomas Hertl contract situation last year, the Timo Meier contract situation this year, until it’s resolved, will hang over the San Jose Sharks’ every step this coming season.

Meier, who led the Sharks with 35 goals and 76 points last year, is an RFA after this season. The 25-year-old winger was eligible to sign up to an eight-year extension with San Jose starting last month.

“There hasn’t been any conversation about that,” Meier said at the NHL European Player Media Tour in Paris on Wednesday. “I haven’t really thought too much about it, to be honest. I know my contract is up in a year, but I’m trying to focus on getting ready for the season and getting ready physically, doing my work during the offseason and having a good start into the season. So that’s kind of my only focus right now since the other stuff hasn’t been brought up and I’m not a guy that likes to think too much about that stuff.”

Hertl, of course, was a pending UFA heading into the 2021-22 season. The 28-year-old center never hit the open market, inking an eight-year, $65.1 million dollar extension with the San Jose Sharks in March.

Meier hasn’t been as unreserved in his affection for San Jose as Hertl was.

“For sure, I love it here. It’s like my second home,” Hertl said in his May 2021 exit interview, when asked if he wanted to re-sign with the Sharks. “I started playing hockey here. I got 500 games here. San Jose means to me everything. I got a lot of friends around and all this stuff.”

Exit Interview: Does Hertl Want to Sign with Sharks Long-Term? | SJHN+

Now it wasn’t necessarily a smooth road from this point to Hertl’s extension, but it was always clear, even when contract negotiations were dragging or non-existent, that the Czech star’s heart was in San Jose.

The carefully-spoken Meier, not surprisingly, has not been as “heart on his sleeve” as the gregarious Hertl about committing to San Jose.

Asked the same question as Hertl was, Meier said in his Apr. 2022 exit interview: “I haven’t thought too much about that. I’m not a guy that looks too far ahead. Try to stay in the moment.

“But yeah, going to be thinking about it this summer, looking at stuff and all that, reflecting on the season.”

Meier Doesn’t Want to Talk Next Contract, Just Wants To Win

In Paris, the Swiss winger continued to stay, well, neutral about committing long-term to the only NHL team that he’s ever known.

“This conversation hasn’t come up and there haven’t been any negotiations or anything,” Meier repeated. “So my focus is in the right now and just getting ready for the season and play the best season I can have.”

How will new San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier navigate this situation?

“We hope he wants to be here, and until I hear otherwise, I’ll assume this is the place he wants to be,” Grier acknowledged of his best player last month.

Does Meier Want To Stay With Sharks Long-Term? Grier Isn’t Sure Yet