The Florida Panthers continue to stay busy ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
On Thursday afternoon, just about 24 before the Friday 3 p.m. deadline, the Panthers added another piece to the puzzle they hope reads ‘back-to-back champions’ when all is said and done.
Florida acquired center Nico Sturm, along with a seventh-round pick in 2027, from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the 2026 fourth-round pick.
Sturm, 29, has played his entire seven-year NHL career in the Western Conference, first with Minnesota before a brief stop in Colorado, and then the past three seasons in San Jose.
He is playing in the final year of a three-year contract that carries an average annual value (AAV) of $2 million.
A physical two-way forward, Sturm has excelled in the faceoff circle throughout his career.
So far this season Sturm has won a career-high 62.7% of his draws, and that’s after setting a career-high last season, when he won 60.1%.
If he is called on to play center for Florida, which seems likely, Sturm will probably slide onto the Cats’ fourth line, behind centermen Sasha Barkov, Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell.
We’ll see how things shake out regarding the Panthers roster over the next day, as it does not appear that they are done ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Stay tuned!
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