REPORT: Sharks Will Allow Other Teams To Talk Extension With Meier

This might be a sign that Timo Meier’s tenure with the San Jose Sharks is coming to an end.

The pending RFA, leading the Sharks with 26 goals and second in the NHL with 213 shots, has been subject to trade rumors all season. However, his $10 million dollar qualifying offer has given (the many) interested teams pause.

Maybe not anymore.

“San Jose has indicated a willingness that if you make them a trade proposal they like,” Elliotte Friedman said, about 29 minutes in, on his 32 Thoughts Podcast today, “they will let you talk [extension] with Meier’s representative.”

That would be Meier’s agent Claude Lemieux.

San Jose Hockey Now has reached out to Lemieux for comment.

San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier spoke with local media last week and expressed admiration for the 26-year-old winger but also a willingness to part with him for the right offer.

“If you’re starting a team from scratch, and you got a chance to grab someone like Timo, you’re going to take him and put him on your wing and forget about him for the next 10 years,” Grier said, before adding, “It’d be great if we didn’t [have to worry about the salary cap], but we do, and there’s only so much money to go around.”

There’s no indication that the Sharks and Meier have held serious contract negotiations. Lemieux told SJHN before the season: “We have not received any offers yet, and don’t expect anything until the end of the season.”

Agent: Meier Doesn’t Expect Offer from Sharks Until After Season

Meanwhile, Grier repeated last week, from Erik Karlsson to Meier to Nico Sturm: “It’s my job to do what I think is best for the organization, short-term and long-term.”

Grier Willing to Trade Karlsson & Meier, but Also Happy to Keep Them

Friedman thinks that a Meier trade could come well before the Mar. 3 Trade Deadline.

“If a guy could go early, it’s Meier,” the insider shared. “The reason is, San Jose, they’re aggressive.

“If you come to them, they’re ready to do business.”

It’s worth noting though that the San Jose Sharks aren’t under the gun to deal Meier by the Trade Deadline. Since he’s under their control, they could just as well trade his rights for fair value during the 2023 Draft. Meier could also sign a short-term contract with a lesser AAV than $10 million and become a UFA at the end of that agreement.