Some guys are just built to play for the Florida Panthers. Newly acquired forward Nico Sturm might be one of them. “Definitely exciting,” Sturm said following his first practice with the Panthers at Baptist Health IcePlex on Friday.
Just before midnight on the eve of NHL trade deadline day, Chris MacFarland bolstered the Colorado Avalanche for a long playoff run by getting center Brock Nelson.
Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled then offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups.
The San Jose Sharks on Thursday traded center Nico Sturm and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Florida Panthers for a 2026 fourth-round selection. The trade is the second between the Sharks and Panthers in as many days. On Wednesday, San Jose sent goalie Vitek Vanecek to Florida for forward Patrick Giles.
Defensemen Seth Jones and Ryan Lindgren and forward Gustav Nyquist were on the move as three Central Division teams got a jump on the NHL’s looming trade deadline.