Marco Sturm Marco Johann Sturm ( born September 8 , 1978 ) is a German professional ice hockey winger with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Sturm began his career with EV Landshut of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga , playing with the team from 1995 to 1997 . Selected 21st overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks , he played his rookie season with the team in 1997 – 98 . After eight - and - a - half seasons with the Sharks , he was traded to the Boston Bruins as part of a package deal for Joe Thornton in November 2005 . Sturm remained with Boston until 2010 – 11 , when he split the campaign with the Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals . He signed with the Canucks as an unrestricted free agent in July 2011 , but was quickly traded to the Panthers less than a month into the subsequent season . A one - time NHL All - Star ( 1999 ) , Sturm has established himself as a consistent 20 - goal scorer in the league , achieving the mark seven of eight times between 2001 – 02 and 2009 – 10 . Internationally , Sturm has competed for Germany in four IIHF World Championships , two Winter Olympics and one World Cup . Playing career . EV Landshut ( 1995 – 97 ) . After playing in EV Landshut ' s junior program in Germany , he joined the club ' s premier Deutsche Eishockey Liga team for the 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 . San Jose Sharks ( 1997 – 2006 ) . In July 1997 , Sturm signed his first NHL contract with the Sharks . Making the team out of training camp , he was scratched for the first game of the 1997 – 98 season . The following game , he dressed and scored his first career NHL goal against Jeff Hackett of the Chicago Blackhawks on October 4 , 1997 . His goal , a game - winner , came on a breakaway after exiting the penalty box and broke a 2 – 2 tie . Following his second month of NHL play , Sturm was establishing himself in the NHL as a defensively responsible , two - way forward and was second among league rookies in scoring to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mike Johnson . Consequently , he was named the league ' s rookie of the month for November 1997 . He finished the season with 30 ( 10 goals and 20 assists ) points over 74 games , ranking fifth in scoring among league rookies . Finishing with the eighth and final 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 . 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 , 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 . Sturm later scored a goal in a losing cause as North America beat Team World by an 8 – 6 score . 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 , 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 2003 – 04 when he suffered a season - ending knee injury on March 5 , 2004 . Missing the last 15 games of the regular season , he recorded 21 goals and 41 points over 64 games . In Sturm ' s absence , the Sharks qualified for the Western Conference Finals during the 2004 playoffs for the first time in team history , but lost to the Calgary Flames in six games . Due to the NHL lockout , Sturm played the 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 semifinals of the playoffs . Returning to the Sharks as NHL play resumed for the 2005 – 06 season , Sturm was 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 . Boston Bruins ( 2005 – 10 ) . 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 Patrice Bergeron ) , 30 assists and 59 points ( third on the team behind Bergeron and winger Brad Boyes over 74 games . The Bruins struggled as a team , however , and finished out of the playoffs . In his first full season with the Bruins , Sturm notched 27 goals and 44 points . His 17 assists were his lowest total since the 1999 – 2000 season . The Bruins once again failed to qualify for the playoffs . In 2007 – 08 , Sturm neared career - highs once again as he tallied 56 points , second in team - scoring behind centre Marc Savard , as well as a team - leading 27 goals . He helped the Bruins return to the post - season as the eighth and last seed in the East , matched them against the Montreal Canadiens in the first round . Facing elimination in Game 6 , Sturm scored with less than three minutes remaining in regulation . After Canadiens goaltender Carey Price stopped his initial shot , Sturm retrieved his own rebound and skated the puck around Price for the game ' s winning goal . 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 2008 – 09 season , the first of which was a concussion , suffered on November 19 , 2008 . After returning to the lineup having missed 12 games , he sufered a knee injury on December 20 , 2008 . The following month , he opted for surgery to repair his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) , 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 2009 – 10 season . During 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 . Sturm finished the season 37 points over 76 games . His 22 goals led the Bruins in scoring for the second time in three years . 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 – present ) . 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 . The deal with the Kings had nearly been finalized nine days prior , but had initially fell through . 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 . Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off - season , the Vancouver Canucks expressed interest in signing Sturm . He referred to 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 were Stanley Cup finalists the previous season ; Sturm later explained feeling that Vancouver was the " best chance " for him to win a championship . 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 . 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 third round pick in the 2013 draft . Personal . Sturm is married and has two children : son Mason Joseph and daughter Kaydie .