Nico Sturm

Nico Sturm (born 3 May 1995) is a German professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers. He made his NHL debut in 2019 with the Wild, and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022 and the Panthers in 2025. Internationally Sturm has played for the German national team, and won a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships.

Playing career Amateur Sturm played as a youth in his native Germany, appearing with ESV Kaufbeuren in the German Development League (DNL) from 2011 to 2014. In order to continue his development, Sturm opted to move to North America, playing in the North American Hockey League with the Corpus Christi IceRays and the Austin Bruins.

Sturm was selected by the Tri-City Storm, 72nd overall, in the 2015 USHL Entry Draft. On 30 June 2015, Sturm was announced to have signed with the Storm, while also committing to play collegiate hockey at Clarkson University of the ECAC.

In the 2015–16 season, Sturm recorded 39 points in 57 games with the Tri-City Storm and added 6 points in 5 playoff games to help Tri-City win the Clark Cup.

Sturm played his freshman season with the Clarkson University Golden Knights in the 2016–17 season, collecting 21 points in 38 games to earn a selection to the ECAC All-Rookie Team. In his second year, Sturm continued to realise his potential, increasing his offensive production with 37 points in 40 games. His solid two-way play was noticed as he led the NCAA with a 61.7% face-off win percentage and was named the 2017–18 ECAC Best Defensive Forward.

Returning as co-captain for his junior season with Clarkson in 2018–19, Sturm led the team in scoring and assists with 45 points in 39 games. In his standout season for the top ranked Golden Knights, he was named the ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward for the second consecutive season, a Top Ten Hobey Baker Award Finalist, a finalist for the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year Award, named to the 2019 ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team and an ECAC First-Team All-League selection.

Professional Minnesota Wild As an undrafted free agent, Sturm attracted league wide NHL interest following his junior season, opting to forgo his senior year in signing a one-year, entry-level contract for the remainder of the 2018–19 season, with the Minnesota Wild on 1 April 2019. He immediately joined the out of contention Wild making his NHL debut in a 3–0 defeat to the Boston Bruins on 4 April 2019.

Sturm mostly played in the Wild's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Iowa Wild, in the 2019–20 season. He earned a call-up to the NHL during the season and recorded his first two NHL assists in a six-game stint with the Wild. When the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wild were admitted to a play-in round of the playoffs when the NHL resumed. Sturm would play in two games of the Wild's five-game series against the Vancouver Canucks, and scored his first NHL goal in game four against Jacob Markström.

Colorado Avalanche

On 15 March 2022, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, in exchange for Tyson Jost. On 26 June 2022, Sturm helped the Avalanche claim their first Stanley Cup in 21 years.

San Jose Sharks On the back of his success with the Avalanche, Sturm as a free agent was signed to a three-year, $6 million contract with the San Jose Sharks on 13 July 2022.

Florida Panthers During the 2024–25 season, approaching the end of his contract with the Sharks, Sturm was traded to the Florida Panthers on 6 March 2025, alongside a seventh-round draft pick in 2027, in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in 2026. He only played in 15 regular season games and 8 playoff games. He was a healthy scratch in the entire Final. The Panthers went on to win the Stanley Cup. With the Panthers requesting an exemption, his name was engraved on the Stanley Cup, as he did not automatically qualify.

Return to Minnesota Having concluded his contract with the Panthers, Sturm left as a free agent and was signed to a two-year, $4 million contract with his original club, the Minnesota Wild, on 1 July 2025.

Personal life Sturm is engaged to fellow Clarkson alum and professional hockey player Taylor Turnquist.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2011–12 ESV Kaufbeuren DNL 31 3 4 7 33 3 0 0 0 0 2012–13 ESV Kaufbeuren DNL 33 11 22 33 22 — — — — — 2013–14 ESV Kaufbeuren DNL 24 13 21 34 20 — — — — — 2013–14 Corpus Christi IceRays NAHL 21 1 2 3 2 — — — — — 2014–15 Austin Bruins NAHL 53 11 30 41 28 13 7 6 13 0 2015–16 Tri-City Storm USHL 57 14 25 39 47 5 3 3 6 0 2016–17 Clarkson University ECAC 39 8 13 21 37 — — — — — 2017–18 Clarkson University ECAC 40 14 23 37 14 — — — — — 2018–19 Clarkson University ECAC 39 14 31 45 29 — — — — — 2018–19 Minnesota Wild NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2019–20 Minnesota Wild NHL 6 0 2 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 2019–20 Iowa Wild AHL 55 12 20 32 18 — — — — — 2020–21 Minnesota Wild NHL 50 11 6 17 17 7 1 1 2 0 2021–22 Minnesota Wild NHL 53 9 8 17 8 — — — — — 2021–22 Colorado Avalanche NHL 21 0 3 3 6 13 0 2 2 2 2022–23 San Jose Sharks NHL 74 14 12 26 23 — — — — — 2023–24 San Jose Sharks NHL 63 5 8 13 12 — — — — — 2024–25 San Jose Sharks NHL 47 7 6 13 13 — — — — — 2024–25 Florida Panthers NHL 15 0 1 1 7 8 0 0 0 0 2025–26 Minnesota Wild NHL 49 5 6 11 16 8 1 4 5 0 NHL totals 380 51 52 103 102 38 3 7 10 2

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2015 Germany WJC 10th 6 0 0 0 12 2023 Germany WC 10 6 2 8 2 2024 Germany WC 6th 6 1 2 3 2 2026 Germany OG 6th 5 1 0 1 0 Junior totals 6 0 0 0 12 Senior totals 21 8 4 12 4

Awards and honours Award Year RefUSHL Clark Cup champion 2016 College ECAC All-Rookie Team 2017 ECAC Third All-Star Team 2018 ECAC Best Defensive Forward 2018, 2019 ECAC First All-Star Team 2019 ECAC All-Tournament Team 2019 East First All-American Team 2019 NHL Stanley Cup champion 2022, 2025