Panthers add a depth forward as they continue making moves ahead of trade deadline
Published in Hockey
The Florida Panthers continue to make moves ahead of the NHL’s trade deadline.
The Panthers on Thursday acquired center Nico Sturm from the San Jose Sharks for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Florida is also getting a seventh-round pick in 2027 in the deal.
This is Florida’s third deal since Saturday. On Saturday, the Panthers acquired five-time All-Star defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional 2026 first-round pick. Florida then traded for goaltender Vitek Vanecek, also from the Sharks, on Wednesday in exchange for forward prospect Patrick Giles.
Sturm is in the final year of a three-year deal that has an annual cap hit of $2 million. The 29-year-old has 91 career points (46 goals, 45 assists) in 316 games over eight seasons. This year with San Jose, Sturm has 13 points in 47 games. Sturm is dominant in the faceoff circle, winning 56.8 percent of his career draws, including 60.1 percent in the 2023-24 season and 62.7 percent so far this year.
He will likely slot in as Florida’s fourth-line center, a role that has been held this season by Tomas Nosek.
Florida later Thursday also acquired goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for goaltender Chris Driedger, who the team had sent to AHL Charlotte, the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, earlier Thursday.
The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. Friday. The Panthers have about $4.1 million in cap space remaining to work with if they choose to make any additional moves.
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