NEWARK, N.J. -- Timo Meier takes great pride in doing a little bit of everything when he hops on the ice for the New Jersey Devils.
The 28-year-old forward, now in his ninth NHL season and third with the Devils, has long been praised for his ability to generate offensive chances, throw big hits and block shots.
It's the reason the Devils coveted him as the type of player they needed down the stretch and in the trenches if they were serious about qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with regularity, signing him to an eight-year, $70.4 million contract ($8.8 million average annual value) on June 28, 2023.
Meier ranks in the top five among all Devils players this season in goals (fifth; 18), game-winning goals (third; four), points (fourth; 43) and hits (fourth; 117), and is seventh in blocked shots (53).
He might not be scoring at the rate he once did when he was with the San Jose Sharks -- he had three 30-goal seasons from 2016-23 -- but truth be told, he's become a more responsible player. New Jersey has a 53.2 shot-attempts percentage at 5-on-5, and 61.5 on-ice goals for percentage 5-on-5 when Meier is on the ice.
"Honestly, I just want for us to get into the playoffs," Meier told NHL.com. "That's the goal, that's the focus. I think you got to believe that if you do the right things over and over, (goals and points) are going to come. If they're not and we're winning, I'm happy, but you can also be influential in the game without scoring ... being physical and doing things the right way."
Meier, incidentally, is a plus-player (plus-9) for the first time in six seasons, an indication he's doing much more for the crest on the front of the jersey than the name on the back.
"If you do that, I think that will help the team and that will automatically drive your success," he said.
The Devils are hoping Meier can continue and perhaps raise his game even more to help them secure a spot in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. New Jersey (36-25-6) is third in the Metropolitan Division, six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who have played one fewer game.