Individual progress of an NHL player should not always be measured in goals.
Yet it's hard to ignore Timo Meier's production: 21 goals in his first full season, followed up by 30 last year.
"He's worked for everything he's got," Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer said of Meier. "I think power forwards take a little bit longer. It's a harder league for bigger guys playing that kind of game to establish themselves."
"His jump last year was incredible," fellow forward Barclay Goodrow remarked. "He kind of turned into a whole new player, just more confident. He took some games over, shooting the puck and driving the net. Just things he does well at a better pace."
The Swiss-born winger has developed a full-fledged reputation for utilizing all six feet and 210 pounds he's got.
"I try to be a physical guy. Try to get in the areas where you might hurt, and try to score some dirty goals," Meier said at training camp. "I want to get better, that's always something I try to stay hungry on."
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Timing plays a critical role in the development of a homegrown product like Meier. The Sharks were able to let him develop in the pipeline, and now he's thriving on the biggest stage.
"He got there the right way," DeBoer explained. "You've got a guy with a lot of confidence, we've added a couple minutes every year to his time on ice. He's going to take another step this year with the guys that departed. We're excited to see where he can go with it."
And that is the exciting question: Where can Meier take things this season?
[RELATED: Why Sharks confident they can make up for lost firepower]
"I'm not a guy that wants to put out a number and say I have to score that many goals," Meier admitted. "I just try to go out and be the best player I can for the team."
