Panthers acquire NHL's faceoff leader Sturm from Sharks
Published
Florida Panthers have acquired forward Nico Sturm and a 2027 seventh-round selection from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Florida’s 2026 fourth-round selection.
It's another addition to the Panthers ahead of the trade deadline, after the team brought in defenceman Seth Jones in a blockbuster with the Chicago Blackhawks over the weekend and added goaltender Vitek Vanecek from the Sharks on Wednesday. Forward Patrick Giles went back to the Sharks in the Vanecek deal.
Sturm is first forward addition to the Panthers since the team placed star winger Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve last week.
Sturm a faceoff specialist
Sturm has seven goals and 13 points in 47 games with the Sharks this season. His 62.7 per cent faceoff win percentage leads all NHL skaters with at least 250 draws taken this season.
He posted a 60.1 per cent faceoff win percentage in 2023-24, leading all NHLers who had taken at least 800 draws in 2023-24, and has posted a faceoff win percentage above 50 per cent in each of his last five seasons including 2024-25.
The 29-year-old centre has 46 goals and 91 points in 316 career NHL games with the Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche and Sharks.
Sturm won the Stanley Cup will with the Avalanche in 2022.