SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture mentioned he and his medical crew have been exploring varied strategies of remedy for a bothersome groin harm that not solely stored him out of motion practically all of final season however might additionally forestall him from beginning this season on time.
Couture missed 76 of 82 video games in 2023-24 with a probably debilitating situation known as osteitis pubis, or irritation within the joint between the left and proper pubic bones. After lacking all of coaching camp and the Sharks’ first 45 video games, Couture returned and performed in six straight video games from Jan. 20-31 earlier than being shelved once more.
Couture would sit out the remainder of the season and mentioned in April that he hoped to renew skating someday in July. However normal supervisor Mike Grier mentioned late final month that Couture had but to get on the ice, casting extra doubt as as to if the profession Shark could be prepared for the beginning of coaching camp this week or have the ability to play within the crew’s season-opener on Oct. 10.
“It’s difficult. I mean, I want to be playing hockey,” Couture mentioned in an interview with Sharks Audio Community’s Dan Rusanowsky on Wednesday. “It’s what I’ve done for almost all my life, so not being able to the last 15 months has been difficult. But, I mean, the human body can only do so much at some point.
“We’re trying to attack this thing with different types of rehab, and maybe something will click here.”
Couture, 35, is coming into his sixteenth NHL season and sixth because the crew’s captain. He’s fifth on the Sharks’ all-time listing with 933 profession video games and is fourth all-time with 701 factors.
Couture has three years left on his eight-year contract that carries an $8 million cap hit.
Though the Sharks are in a serious transition interval, Grier mentioned in June that he’s not interested by buying and selling Couture, who he felt could be a serious a part of the crew’s rebuild because it enters its subsequent crucial part. The Sharks have traded veterans Brent Burns, Timo Meier, Erik Karlsson, and Tomas Hertl within the final two-plus years.
“(If) stuff’s out there that I’m looking at trading Logan Couture or anything like that, that is absolutely false,” Grier mentioned on the finish of Ryan Warsofsky’s introductory press convention. “If you look at us bringing in young players here and having a young team, he is exactly the type of person you want to have around the young players.
“He’s our captain, he’s our leader, he had a tough year. But we love him as a person, most importantly. He’s still a heck of a hockey player, so you guys can put any of those thoughts about me looking to trade our captain, you can put to bed.”
The Sharks might have two rookies on their roster in the beginning of the season: ahead Will Smith and No. 1 total draft choose Macklin Celebrini. Having Couture, who was drafted by the Sharks in 2007, round to be an instance for these first-year professionals is important in Grier’s eyes.
The Sharks start coaching camp Thursday and play their first preseason recreation on Sunday at dwelling in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Initially Printed: September 18, 2024 at 10:45 p.m.
