Sunrise, Fla. — Bill ZitoAnnount, president and general manager of Florida Panthers Hockey Operations, said the club has acquired 2027 Nico Sturm and 2027 seven-round selection from San Jose Sharks in exchange for Florida’s fourth round selection.
Sturm, 29, scored 13 points (7-6-13) in 47 games against the San Jose Sharks in 2024-25. His 62.7% showdown victory percentage leads all NHL skaters with at least 250 draws this season.
The 6-foot-3, 209-pound native from Augsburg, Germany, skated in 316 career NHL games with San Jose (2022-23-2024-25), Colorado Avalanches (2021-22) and Minnesota Wild (2018-19-2021-22), accumulating 91 points (46-45-91). He recorded a showdown victory rate of 60.1% in 2023-24, leading all NHLERSs who acquired at least 800 draws in 2023-24, and recorded a face-off win rate of over 50% in each of his last five seasons, including 2024-25.
Sturm skated in 22 career Stanley Cup playoff games in Colorado and Minnesota, with Avalanches capturing the Stanley Cup with two assists in over 13 games and skating in all six Stanley Cup final games against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Undrafted Sturm played in three NCAA seasons (2016-17 to 2018-19), with Clarkson University producing 103 points (36-67-103) in 118 games. He captained Clarkson in his third campaign, leading the Golden Knights to the ECAC Tournament Championship and was named to the ECAC First All-Star Team and the NCAA First All-American Team. He also played for the USHL Tri-City Storm in one season (2015-16), scoring 39 points (14-25-39) in 57 games.
On the international stage, Sturm won a silver medal with Germany at the 2023 IIHF World Championships, generating eight points (6-2-8) in 10 tournament games. He also represented his home country at the 2024 IIHF World Championships and the 2015 U20 World Junior Championships.
The Florida Panthers are operating this season! 2024-25 Single Game Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased from SeatGeek.com or the Amerant Bank Arena Box Office (Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm). Fans interested in season ticket membership for the 2025-26 season are encouraged to join the waitlist by clicking here to visit floridapanthers.com/tickets or calling Puckline (954.835.puck).
