Devils’ Lindy Ruff trying to determine where Timo Meier best fits in New Jersey lineup

NEWARK — Less than 24 hours after one of the biggest trades leading up to Friday’s NHL trade deadline, the Devils were on the ice going through their normal practice routine. From a distance, it looked like an average practice, but there was a buzz around the Devils’ locker room with Timo Meier meeting up with the team in the coming days.

The addition of Meier only bolstered the Devils’ chances of making a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs after they’ve been one of the top teams in the Metropolitan Division for the entire season, The addition of the high-scoring left wing from San Jose gives New Jersey another weapon up front to join 74-point (36 goals, 38 assists) forward Jack Hughes and 25 goal scorer Nico Hischier.

“He’s definitely a super competitive guy that obviously can score goals,” said Hischier, who played with Meier on the Swiss national team. “He’s a big boy. He’s a really big boy that can score goals, make plays, hard on pucks and he’s not afraid to use his body as well. So it was definitely someone we can use.”

Hischier and Meier’s familiarity could go a long way for the Devils when he steps out onto the ice for the first time in red and black. Meier is working through an upper-body injury and Devils coach Lindy Ruff said the team was taking it day by day with his return to the ice.

He is expected to meet the team in Denver when they travel to face the Colorado Avalanche later this week.

But whenever he does touch the ice, he will already have some insight into at least one of his teammates. The two know each other’s game from playing internationally and they even were part of the same group of NHL players that vacationed with one another during the NHL All-Star break.

That familiarity has given Ruff a lot to consider where he puts Meier in the lineup. Though it’s no secret it will either be with Hischier or Hughes.

“It’s a discussion we had this morning and it will be an ongoing discussion for a little while,” Ruff said. “When you look at Nico’s line right now, that line has done well, so maybe starting with Jack. I like the familiarity with Nico and maybe them playing together. Helping each other out a little bit or Nico helping him with the way we play. But I like the dynamic sense of him going up there next to Jack too.”

Sunday’s late-night deal to add Meier could be a game-changer for the Devils, who sit just three points back of the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. New Jersey has upcoming games on the road against Avs, Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes before they return to Prudential Center next week.

It’s unclear if Meier will make his debut before the road trip ends, but the move to add him was a clear signal of what the Devils’ objectives are this season. Though, inside the dressing room they already had lofty goals set for this season.

“We all set our expectations high in here so it doesn’t really matter,” Hischier said. “After a trade like that, we just have to ty to be good teammates for Timo and help him out here and try to involve him as much as we can from the get-go. We’re here to achieve big things. It’s not a secret. He’s just another piece that’s going to help us to get there.”