SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced today that the club has signed forward Nico Sturm to a two-year, $4 million contract (average annual value of $2 million) through the 2026–27 NHL season.
Sturm, 30 (born May 3, 1995), returns to Minnesota after splitting the 2024–25 season between the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers, recording 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists), 20 penalty minutes, and 59 shots on goal in 62 games. He also appeared in eight playoff games with the Stanley Cup champion Panthers, earning his second career championship ring.
The 6-foot-3, 209-pound center from Augsburg, Germany, began his NHL career with the Wild, making his debut on April 4, 2019, against the Boston Bruins. Over four seasons with Minnesota (2018–22), he tallied 36 points (20 goals, 16 assists) in 111 games and added three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games. Notably, he scored his first NHL goal during the 2020 postseason against Vancouver, becoming just the second player in franchise history to net their first career goal in the playoffs.
Across seven NHL seasons with Minnesota, Colorado, San Jose, and Florida, Sturm has compiled 92 points (46 goals, 46 assists), 421 shots on goal, and a 56.5% faceoff win rate in 331 career games. He’s also contributed five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 30 playoff appearances, winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022 and again with Florida in 2025.
Before turning pro, Sturm starred at Clarkson University from 2016 to 2019, where he posted 103 points (36 goals, 67 assists) and a +47 rating in 118 games. As a junior, he led the team with 45 points and won nearly 58% of his faceoffs. His accolades include:
- Two-time ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward
- 2019 Hobey Baker Top Ten Finalist
- ECAC First-Team All-League (2018–19)
- ECAC All-Tournament Team (2019)
Sturm originally signed with the Wild as an undrafted free agent on April 1, 2019.
