Brett Sterling

As a free agent in the following summer, Sterling opted to return to familiar grounds, signing a one-year AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves on July 22, 2016. After continuing through to the 2017–18 season with the Wolves, Sterling registered 25 points in 45 games before opting to end his professional career after 12 years.

Sterling dominated the action on the ice for Salzburg, helping them to a league championship in 2015. He remained with Salzburg in the 2015-16 season, and again helped them to a league championship.

On June 25, 2014, Sterling changed European leagues, in opting to join Austrian club, EC Red Bull Salzburg of the EBEL on a one-year contract.

For season 2013–14, Sterling signed a one-year contract with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League. Sterling failed to establish his career offensive output totalling just 11 goals and 20 points in 43 games, before finishing the season on loan with SHL competitor Örebro HK.

On June 23, 2010, Sterling was traded by the Thrashers, along with Mike Vernace and a 7th round selection in 2010 NHL Entry Draft (Lee Moffie), to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations in order to help the Thrashers facilitate an earlier trade of Dustin Byfuglien from the Chicago Blackhawks. However, with his contract set to expire the Sharks chose not to re-sign Sterling and on July 3, 2010, Sterling was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 1-year contract, worth $500,000. Despite his new surroundings Sterling was unable to make the Penguins' roster coming out of training camp and was placed on waivers. After spending most of the year in the AHL Sterling was called up to the NHL on February 10, 2011, he made his Penguins debut later in the day in a game against the Los Angeles Kings. He scored his first goal as a Penguin in the game. After playing 7 games for the Penguins, registering 3 goals and 5 points he was re-assened to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He finished the year with 27 goals and 53 points in 65 games for the Baby Penguins.

During the 2008–09 season Sterling's goal production dropped by 21 from 38 the previous season to only 17 his lowest total since 2003–04 when he was with Colorado College. He rebounded in 2009–10 to score 34 goals for Chicago in 55 games, tying with Ryan Keller of the Binghamton Senators for 6th in the league, however he would not play in any NHL games for the first time since his rookie season with the Wolves.

With his stellar play in his only season in the AHL, Sterling made the Atlanta Thrashers roster out of training camp for the 2007–08 NHL season. He would score his first NHL goal against Johan Holmqvist on October 20, 2007. However, he was unable to maintain a high level of play on the struggling Thrashers and was sent back to Chicago shortly into the season. He would be called up several times during the year.

Sterling was selected by the Thrashers in the 5th round (145th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In his first professional season he won the Willie Marshall Award as the AHL's leading goal scorer, the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as rookie of the year. In addition, he was named to the All-Rookie Team and AHL First All-Star Team.

Sterling's four-year college career was spent with Colorado College, where he played with future Atlanta Thrashers teammate Colin Stuart. He accumulated 108 goals and 184 points in 150 games played over his college career and was drafted in the fifth round, 145th overall, by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Sterling scored 28 points in 30 games as a sophomore for Colorado College. He finished third in scoring for the Tigers, missing the first part of the season due to an injury. Sterling's best collegiate season came in 2004–05, when he had 34 goals, 29 assists and 63 points. That year, he was a top 3 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey's top player. The following year, in his senior season, he was a top 10 finalist.

Sterling has represented the United States internationally in three junior level competitions, the 2002 U-18 World Championships, and the 2003 and 2004 World Junior Championships. Sterling scored 9 goals and 12 points in eight games helping the U.S. Under-18 team win its first-ever gold medal. In 2004, he scored 3 goals as part of the gold medal winning US squad.

Sterling, who is Jewish, was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Pasadena, California, having been introduced to the sport by an uncle who bought Sterling his first pair of skates at age two. He played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Los Angeles Junior Kings minor ice hockey team. His GPA in high school was 4.2.

Brett Stewart Sterling (born April 24, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the St. Louis Blues.