Sturm hoping Olympic success leads to NHL job
What the German men’s hockey team is accomplishing at the Winter Olympics just might get a popular ex-Shark a shot in the NHL.
Marco Sturm is head coach and general manager of the German national team, which finds itself in Sunday’s goldmedal game against Russia. The upstart Germans assured themselves of a medal after surprising Canada in Friday’s semifinals, 4-3.
Sturm said before the first puck was dropped for these 2018 Pyeongchang Games that he hoped to coach in the NHL some day. While the league is stocked with European players, few have found their way behind the bench.
No European native has been a head coach in the NHL since the late Ivan Hlinka of the Czech Republic and Finland’s
Alpo Suhonen were let go in 2000 by Pittsburgh and Chicago, respectively, after one season. Sturm told USA Today he will look for an NHL assistant’s job or a minor-league coaching stint to put himself in position.
“That’s my goal — to go back,” Sturm said. “I loved living over there, and in hockey, there is nothing better than the NHL.”
Sturm just might be the most “American-ized” European coaching candidate. Drafted 21st overall in 1996 by San Jose, Sturm enjoyed the first 7½ seasons of his NHL career by scoring 128 goals and 273 points in 553 games for the Sharks. An All-Star in ’99, Sturm eclipsed the 20-goal plateau each of his final three full seasons in San Jose.
Along with Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau, Sturm was part of the infamous three-for
Joe Thornton trade. After spending 4½ seasons with Boston, Sturm jumped around to Los Angeles, Washington, Vancouver and Florida to cap a 14-year career in 2012 that notched 242 goals, 487 points and 938 games played.
Sturm, 39, has the Germans playing a far more aggressive and opportunistic style than previously when they simply fell back in a defensive posture, tried to keep the score close and would routinely get grossly out-shot against good competition in international play.
Since being named coach and GM in the summer of 2015, Sturm has led Germany to the 2015 Deutschland Cup title, quarterfinals appearances in the 2016 and ’17 world championships, and a victory at the Olympic qualifying tournament to gain entry into these Winter Games.
Regardless how Sunday’s final turns out, this is the Germans’ best showing at the Olympics in history. The nation’s previous best results included winning bronze in 1932 and 1976.
Loading up: The Penguins can’t possibly win a third straight Stanley Cup, can they? Teetering most of the first half, Pittsburgh has shot up the standings and now is contending for the Metro title. The team’s trade to acquire center
Derick Brassard from Ottawa for defenseman Ian Cole on Friday strengthens the Pens right where they wanted more help down the middle of the ice. At some point aren’t rival GMs going to stop helping Pittsburgh?
First for everything: When the Rangers sent speedy forward Michael Grabner to New Jersey in exchange for a pick and a prospect Thursday, it marked the first time the Hudson River rivals made a trade with one another. The Rangers did deal Barry Beck for four players and future considerations in November 1979 to the Colorado Rockies, who relocated to New Jersey in 1982.
Briefly: The U.S. women’s gold-medal winners will be honored at the March 3 outdoor game in Annapolis, Md., when the Maple Leafs and Capitals face off. … Mum’s the word on a shoulder injury incurred late Thursday by Toronto’s Auston
Matthews. All coach Mike Babcock said Friday was he’ll be out a “bit.” … Should be an interesting weekend before Monday’s trade deadline. When it’s all said and done, still feeling like Tampa Bay and Nashville will be the teams to beat.