Nico Sturm returns to Wild on two-year deal
The Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday the signing of forward Nico Sturm on a two-year, $4 million contract that will pay him $2 million a year through the 2026-27 season.
⛈️ THERE'S A STURM WARNING IN MINNESOTA
Welcome back, Nico!!
📰 Read more » https://t.co/Sl0vSiDI2C pic.twitter.com/uaKwlPMR1l
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 1, 2025
The deal was reported on earlier in the day by The Athletic’s Michael Russo.
Hearing the #mnwild are closing in on bringing back free-agent center Nico Sturm.
5th-best faceoff guy in the NHL last season (min. 422 draws), 2-time Cup champ, fills PK/size/forechecking role
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) July 1, 2025
In 2024-25, Sturm split the season with the Florida Panthers and San Jose Sharks, joining the Panthers ahead of the Trade Deadline in March. In 62 regular-season games, he scored seven goals and seven assists for 14 points. He also appeared in eight playoff games and helped Florida win the Stanley Cup.
Sturm returns to Minnesota after playing parts of four seasons with the club between 2018-19 and 2021-22. In 331 career NHL games, Sturm has 46 goals and 46 assists for 92 points with the Wild, Panthers, Sharks and Colorado Avalanche.
A native of Augsburg, Germany, Sturm has also played in 30 Stanley Cup Playoff games, scoring two goals and adding three assists for five points. He won his first Stanley Cup championship in 2022 with the Avalanche.
The Wild finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 45-30-7 and 97 points, finishing fourth in the Central Division and clinching the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Matt Boldy led the team in all offensive categories, scoring 27 goals and 46 assists for 73 points in 82 regular-season games.