Meier, who was acquired in a trade from the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, had missed three games with the injury prior to his acquisition. He was considered day to day.
"In all likelihood, he won't play]," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said following practice Tuesday. "There's testing. There's protocol he has to follow to be cleared for contact yet, so hopefully that's within today or tomorrow."
Meier met his new teammates in Denver and took the ice in a gray sweater at the end of practice to a round of stick taps.
"I think the guys are excited to see him and [gave him] a little bit of gentle razzing there as he got on the ice," Ruff said. "He can't do a lot yet until he goes through his tests, but he's out there just trying to get some exercise."
***[RELATED: [Meier arrival 'big piece of the puzzle' for Devils playoff push]*
Meier, who is in the final season of a four-year contract he signed July 1, 2019, can become a restricted free agent after the season. He led San Jose with 31 goals and was second on the team with 52 points in 57 games.
"He's going to be one of our top-six [forwards]," Ruff said. "He's a goal-scorer. He's got speed, he's got size. He's a big, physical guy that I think we need up front, that I think can complement some of our skill guys."
Meier could potentially play on the same line as center Jack Hughes, who said he's excited about what Meier can bring to the Devils (39-15-5), who are second in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes.
"It's a big help," Hughes said. "He's someone we're really excited about. So, once he gets healthy, we'll be really excited about him. He's a good player. Scores a lot of goals, so we're excited to have him here."
The Devils also acquired defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, forward prospect Timur Ibragimov, goalie prospect Zachary Emond, and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft in the trade.
The Sharks, who are retaining 50 percent of Meier's salary, received forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Andreas Johnsson, defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and second- and seventh-round picks in the 2024 draft.
Harrington was claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Ducks from New Jersey on Tuesday.
Photo credit: Andrew Maclean/New Jersey Devils
