Marco Sturm

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Marco Sturm
Sturm in 2018
Born (1978-09-08) September 8, 1978 (age 46)
Dingolfing, West Germany
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Forward
Shot Left
Played for EV Landshut
San Jose Sharks
ERC Ingolstadt
Boston Bruins
Los Angeles Kings
Washington Capitals
Vancouver Canucks
Florida Panthers
Kölner Haie
Current NHL coach Boston Bruins
National team  Germany
NHL draft 21st overall, 1996
San Jose Sharks
Playing career 1995–2013
Coaching career 2016–present

Marco Johann Sturm (born September 8, 1978) is a German professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a forward, he played in the National Hockey League and Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1995 to 2013.

Sturm began his career with the German club

unrestricted free agent in July 2011, but was quickly traded to the Florida Panthers less than a month into the subsequent season
.

A one-time

Winter Olympics and one World Cup
.

Playing career

EV Landshut (1995–1997)

After playing in

1995–96 season. At 17 years old, he recorded 12 goals and 32 points over 47 games as a rookie. On a team basis, EV Landshut came within three points of the regular season title. During the off-season, he was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the first round, 21st overall, of the 1996 NHL entry draft. Returning to Germany for one more season with EV Landshut, he improved to 16 goals and 43 points over 46 games, ranking fourth in team scoring.[1]

San Jose Sharks (1997–2005)

In July 1997, Sturm signed his first NHL contract with the Sharks.

seed in the Western Conference, the Sharks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years. Facing the Dallas Stars in the first round, they were eliminated in six games.[8]
Sturm appeared in two post-season games, recording no points.

The following season, Sturm was named to the

1999 NHL All-Star Game. Competing with Team World,[note 1] he finished with the second best time in the Skills Competition's fastest skater segment, circling the rink in 14.654 seconds, 14 hundredths of a second slower than the Washington Capitals' Peter Bondra.[9] Sturm later scored a goal in a losing cause as North America beat Team World by an 8–6 score.[10] Playing in his second NHL season, Sturm improved to 16 goals and 38 points over 78 games. Late in the campaign, he suffered a hyper-extended knee during a game against the Edmonton Oilers on April 12, 1999. He missed the final two games of the regular season,[11] but returned in time for the 1999 playoffs. He added 2 goals and 4 points over 6 games as the Sharks were eliminated in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche.[12]

In the next two seasons, Sturm recorded points totals of 27 and 32. He helped the Sharks advance to the second round of the 2000 playoffs, defeating the St. Louis Blues in seven games before being eliminated by the Stars. In 2001–02, Sturm reached the 40-plus mark in points with 21 goals and 20 assists. His efforts helped the Sharks win the Pacific Division for the first time in team history. They went on to lose in the second round of the 2002 playoffs to the Colorado Avalanche. During the off-season, he was re-signed by the Sharks to a one-year contract on July 1, 2002.[13] The following campaign, he recorded 28 goals and 48 points, his highest totals as a Shark, earning him a two-year contract with the team, signed on July 16, 2003.[13] However, the Sharks missed the playoffs for the first time in Sturm's tenure in San Jose, finishing second-last in the West.

Sturm was on pace for another career year in

2004–05 season back in Germany with ERC Ingolstadt
of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. He recorded 38 points (22 goals and 16 assists) over 64 regular season games, then helped his team to the playoff semifinals.

Sturm in 2007 with the Boston Bruins

Returning to the Sharks as NHL play resumed for the 2005–06 season, Sturm was then traded to the Boston Bruins on November 30, 2005, along with defenceman Brad Stuart and forward Wayne Primeau for All-Star centre Joe Thornton. With 273 points in 553 games over nearly eight-and-a-half seasons in San Jose, he left the Sharks ranked sixth in all-time team scoring.[14]

Boston Bruins (2005–2010)

At the time of the trade, Sturm had recorded 16 points in 23 games with the Sharks. Playing with his new team, he finished the 2005–06 season with career-highs of 29 goals (second on the team to centre

winning goal.[16]
Though the Bruins forced a Game 7, they lost the deciding contest and were eliminated. Sturm had 2 goals and 4 points during the series.

Sturm was beset with injuries during the

meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),[13] ending his season at 19 games, during which time he tallied 7 goals and 13 points. The Bruins advanced to the second round of the playoffs that year, losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes
. Recovered from knee surgery, Sturm returned to play in the
2010 Winter Classic, which the Bruins hosted against the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park on January 1, 2010, Sturm scored the game-winning goal in overtime. The Bruins won by a 2–1 score.[4] Sturm finished the season with 37 points over 76 games. His 22 goals led the Bruins in scoring for the second time in three years.[17]
He helped the Bruins qualify for the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the second round once more. During the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers, Sturm injured his knee 21 seconds into Game 1, sidelining him for the remainder of the playoffs.

With a torn ACL and medial collateral ligament (MCL), he underwent his second knee surgery in three years and missed nearly half of the ensuing 2010–11 season due to rehabilitation.

Post-Bruins (2010–2014)

While his recovery from knee surgery was nearly complete, Sturm was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on December 11, 2010, in exchange for future considerations.[18][19] The deal with the Kings had almost been finalized nine days prior, but had initially fallen through.[citation needed] On December 21, Sturm was activated from injured reserve and joined his new team wearing the #10 jersey, as his usual #16 was retired by the Kings for Hockey Hall of Fame centre Marcel Dionne. After scoring 5 goals and 9 points over 17 games with the Kings, Sturm was placed on waivers on February 25, 2011. The following day, he was claimed by the Washington Capitals. Playing 18 games with Washington, he recorded one goal and seven points. In the playoffs, he added a goal and three points over nine games as the Capitals were eliminated in the second round.

Sturm with the Florida Panthers in 2012

Sturm became an

unrestricted free agent in the off-season, and the Vancouver Canucks expressed interest in signing him. He consulted with countryman Christian Ehrhoff, who had played defence with Vancouver for two years before signing with the Buffalo Sabres that summer. Ehrhoff recommended the team and Sturm signed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal on July 1, 2011. The Canucks had been Stanley Cup finalists the previous season and Sturm later explained he believed Vancouver was his "best chance" to win a championship.[4] General manager Mike Gillis acknowledged the risk in signing Sturm, given his two knee surgeries in the past three years. Beginning the season on the second line, Sturm struggled with his new team.[20] Less than a month into the season, on October 22, 2011, he was traded to the Florida Panthers, along with fellow veteran forward Mikael Samuelsson for forwards David Booth and Steven Reinprecht, as well as a 2013 third-round pick.[21][22] Sturm appeared in 49 games for Florida in 2011–12, including all 7 games of the Panthers' first-round playoff loss
to the New Jersey Devils.

Following the NHL lockout Sturm began the season as an unrestricted free agent before eventually signing with

Deutsche Eishockey League. The signing was officially announced by the team on February 3, 2013. He announced his retirement from the game of ice hockey on January 27, 2014.[23]

Coaching career

Sturm was named head coach and general manager of the

German mens's national team on July 10, 2015.[24] Under his guidance, Germany won the 2015 Deutschland Cup title.[25] Head coaching his first World Championship in 2016, Sturm led Germany to a quarterfinal appearance.[26] In September 2016, Germany won the qualifying tournament for participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics.[27] At the 2017 World Championship, Sturm led the team to another quarterfinal, losing 2–1 to Canada. Sturm was credited with the progress of the German team, and for the willingness of the German NHL players to represent their country internationally.[28] Under his leadership the German team reached the final at the 2018 Winter Olympics
, earning the silver medal.

On November 4, 2018, Sturm departed the German national team to become an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings, following the early-season firings of assistant coach Don Nachbaur and head coach John Stevens.[29] Four years later, Sturm was named head coach of the Kings' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Ontario Reign, prior to the 2022–23 season.[30]

On June 5, 2025, Sturm was named head coach of the Boston Bruins.[31] He is the franchise's first European head coach, as well as the sixth in NHL history.[citation needed] He is also the first ever head coach from Germany.[citation needed]

Personal life

Sturm and his wife have two children.[citation needed]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season
 Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1995–96 EV Landshut DEL 47 12 20 32 50 11 1 3 4 18
1996–97 EV Landshut DEL 46 16 27 43 40 7 1 4 5 6
1997–98 San Jose Sharks NHL 74 10 20 30 40 2 0 0 0 0
1998–99 San Jose Sharks NHL 78 16 22 38 52 6 2 2 4 4
1999–00
 San Jose Sharks NHL 74 12 15 27 22 12 1 3 4 6
2000–01 San Jose Sharks NHL 81 14 18 32 28 6 0 2 2 0
2001–02 San Jose Sharks NHL 77 21 20 41 32 12 3 2 5 2
2002–03 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 28 20 48 16 — — — — —
2003–04 San Jose Sharks NHL 64 21 20 41 36 — — — — —
2004–05 ERC Ingolstadt DEL 45 22 16 38 56 11 3 4 7 12
2005–06 San Jose Sharks NHL 23 6 10 16 16 — — — — —
2005–06 Boston Bruins NHL 51 23 20 43 32 — — — — —
2006–07 Boston Bruins NHL 76 27 17 44 46 — — — — —
2007–08 Boston Bruins NHL 80 27 29 56 40 7 2 2 4 6
2008–09 Boston Bruins NHL 19 7 6 13 8 — — — — —
2009–10 Boston Bruins NHL 76 22 15 37 30 7 0 0 0 4
2010–11 Los Angeles Kings NHL 17 4 5 9 17 — — — — —
2010–11 Washington Capitals NHL 18 1 6 7 6 9 1 2 3 4
2011–12 Vancouver Canucks NHL 6 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2011–12 Florida Panthers NHL 42 3 2 5 23 7 0 0 0 4
2012–13 Kölner Haie DEL 5 0 0 0 6 12 6 3 9 18
DEL totals 154 51 66 117 172 41 11 14 25 54
NHL totals 938 242 245 487 446 68 9 13 22 30

International

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1994 Germany
EJC
 5 0 1 1 4
1995 Germany WJC 7 0 0 0 6
1995 Germany EJC 5 2 3 5 2
1996 Germany WJC 6 4 6 10 51
1996 Germany EJC 5 5 6 11 8
1997 Germany OLYQ 3 0 0 0 6
1997 Germany WC 8 1 1 2 4
1998 Germany OLY 2 0 0 0 0
2001 Germany WC 7 4 1 5 26
2002 Germany OLY 5 0 1 1 0
2004 Germany WCH 4 2 0 2 0
2006 Germany WC-I 5 4 3 7 4
2008 Germany WC 6 2 1 3 6
2010 Germany OLY 4 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 28 11 16 27 71
Senior totals 44 13 8 21 46
  • All statistics taken from NHL.com[32]

Notes

  1. ^ The NHL All-Star Game in 1999 operated in a North America vs. the World format, in which players were divided according to nationality.

References

  1. ^ "1996-97 Landshut EV (DEL)". Hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  2. ^ "Transactions". The New York Times. July 17, 1997. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  3. San Jose Mercury News
    . October 5, 1997. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c McIntyre, Gord (October 6, 2011). "Q&A with Canuck Marco Sturm". The Province. Vancouver. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  5. ^ Delfino, Mike (December 23, 1997). "Looking up to the youngers..." Hockey's Future. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  6. ^ "NHL Rookies in Tight Race". The Mount Airy News. March 15, 1998. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  7. ^ "1997-1998 - Regular Season - Rookie - All Skaters - Summary - Total Points". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  8. ^ "1997-98 NHL Playoff Results". Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  9. ^ El-Bashir, Tarik (January 24, 1999). "N.H.L.: All-Star Weekend -- Skills Competition; World Team Triumphs". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  10. ^ "All-Star weekend a big hit". Sun Journal. Associated Press. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  11. ^ "Sharks rookie prospect report". Hockey's Future. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  12. ^ "1998-99 NHL Playoff Results". Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Marco Sturm". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  14. ^ "Regular Season - San Jose Sharks - All Skaters - Career Leaders For Team - Career Points". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  15. ^ "2007-2008 - Regular Season - Boston Bruins - All Skaters - Summary - Total Points". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  16. ^ "Bruins force Game 7". New York Daily News. April 19, 2008. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  17. ^ "2009-2010 - Regular Season - Boston Bruins - All Skaters- Summary - Total Goals". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  18. ^ "Deal done: Sturm to Kings". December 11, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  19. ^ "Marco Sturm traded to Kings". ESPN. Associated Press. December 12, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  20. The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original
    on October 20, 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  21. ^ "Canucks acquire Booth, Reinprecht from Panthers". The Sports Network. October 22, 2011. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  22. ^ "Canucks Acquire Booth, Reinprecht from Panthers". October 22, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  23. ^ "Ex-Bruin Marco Sturm, Hero of 2010 Winter Classic, Retires After 18 Seasons". BostInno. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  24. ^ "Sturm to coach Germany - 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship - International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". iihfworlds2016.com. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  25. ^ "Marco Sturm's Germany win the Deutschland Cup". DW.COM. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  26. ^ "RUS-GER 1/4 - 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship - International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". iihfworlds2016.com. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  27. ^ "LAT vs GER - OGQME - International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". groupe.pyeongchang2018.iihf.hockey. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  28. ^ "FIHG : Marco Sturm, pierre angulaire de la progression du hockey allemand". LNH.com (in French). Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  29. ^ "German ice hockey coach Marco Sturm quits national team". Deutsche Welle. November 5, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  30. ^ Knoll, Andrew (June 17, 2022). "Kings assistant Marco Sturm named Ontario Reign head coach". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  31. ^ "Marco Sturm Named 30th Head Coach in Boston Bruins History". NHL.com. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  32. ^ NHL.com (2009). "Marco Sturm's NHL Profile". NHL.com. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marco Sturm.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by San Jose Sharks first round draft pick
1996 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Joe Sacco
(interim)
 Head coach of the Boston Bruins
2025–present 		Incumbent
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