Sturm, 27, played in 71 games this season with the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche, scoring 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 53 games with the Wild and three assists in 21 games with the Avalanche. Sturm also appeared in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Avalanche, posting two assists, including the primary assist on Andrew Cogliano's third period game-tying goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Sturm appeared in all six Stanley Cup Final games, helping the Avalanche capture the Stanley Cup.
In 2020-21, Sturm recorded 17 points (11 goals, six assists) in 50 games with Minnesota in his first full NHL season. He scored his first career NHL goal in a two-goal effort against the Avalanche on Feb. 24. Over the course of his NHL career, Sturm has recorded 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 132 games, along with five points (two goals, three assists) in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games. The center has appeared in 55 American Hockey League Games, all with the Iowa Wild in 2019-20, recording 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists).
Prior to his NHL career, Sturm played three years of collegiate hockey with Clarkson University from 2016-19, posting 103 points (36 goals, 67 assists) in 118 games. He served as team captain during the 2018-19 season and helped Clarkson win the ECAC championship. During his final season, he was named a Top 10 Hobey Baker Finalist, a finalist for the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, the ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward and was named to the ECAC Conference championship All-Tournament team. In 2016, Sturm won a Clark Cup Championship for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League.
Internationally he has represented Germany at the 2020 World Junior Championship, appearing in six games.
The six-foot-three, 209-pound forward was originally signed as a free agent by Minnesota on Apr. 1, 2019.
