Devils' Meier 'definitely not happy' with his play

Devils forward Timo Meier is aware he isn't playing up to his standards during his first full season in New Jersey.

"I'm hard on myself. I have high expectations," he told reporters Thursday, according to NHL.com's Amanda Stein. "We have high expectations as a team. Definitely not happy with my play, but you've got to learn from it. Sometimes those situations can make you better as a player, make you stronger."

Meier has amassed just five tallies and 11 points in 23 contests so far this season, good for an 18-goal, 39-point pace during an 82-game season. He hasn't fallen short of the 20-goal mark since the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign when he lit the lamp 12 times in 54 outings.

The 27-year-old hasn't been fully healthy, though. He missed seven games in November due to a lower-body injury and has yet to record a point in the nine outings since his return Dec. 1.

Devils head coach Lindy Ruff suggested Tuesday that Meier's ailment is still having an impact on his skating. However, Meier wasn't ready to pin the blame for his underwhelming performance on any lingering issues.

"It's a long season. There are times where you have some bumps and bruises," he said, per team beat reporter Sam Kasan. "But that's never an excuse. I feel ready to play."

"When things aren't going your way, just go back to the basics," Meier continued. "Focus on playing well defensively, playing hard, getting yourself into the game. Maybe it's a hit, a blocked shot. Maybe it will build your confidence and your play. And it will lead up to offensive production."

Ruff said Thursday that he'd only sit Meier if he looks as though he's being hampered physically by his injury, according to NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky. The bench boss previously benched Meier for the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers in October.

New Jersey won the Meier sweepstakes prior to last season's trade deadline, acquiring his services from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a package that included forward Fabian Zetterlund, prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, and a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and 2024.

Meier enjoyed his first 40-goal campaign in 2022-23 and signed an eight-year extension with an $8.8-million cap hit to stay with the Devils this past offseason, making him the highest-paid forward in New Jersey.