Sharks’ Couture explains what need to happen before he returns, as timeline comes more into focus
SAN JOSE – Injured San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture said he wants to be a full participant in at least two practices before he thinks about rejoining the team’s lineup, meaning he could potentially play again as soon as this weekend if he continues to skate without any setbacks.
The Sharks are at home this week and as of now are scheduled to practice on both Wednesday and Friday. San Jose closes a three-game homestand on Saturday afternoon against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I want to practice twice,” Couture told Bay Area News Group on Tuesday.
Couture, out with a lower-body injury since before the start of training camp, said he’s still taking things day-by-day, noting it was unclear whether he’ll be able to be a full participant in Wednesday’s practice. He took part in another one of the Sharks’ morning skates Tuesday as they prepared to play the Detroit Red Wings at SAP Center.
Couture has had at least two setbacks in his recovery from the undisclosed injury, with the most recent one costing him about a month off of the ice in November. Couture said before Christmas that he started to feel much better near the start of December after he began to get treatment from a physical therapist in San Francisco.
“Just something clicked,” Couture said on Dec. 19. “Started to feel a lot better, started to skate more often, felt way better on the ice, and didn’t aggravate my injury.”
Couture said at the time that he was doing certain exercises four or five times a week as part of his rehabilitation, something he said Tuesday he might have to continue to do even after he begins to play again.
“I’m not sure, but I’d imagine it’s something that sticks with me for the rest of my career,” said Couture, 34, who has 700 points in 927 NHL regular season games.
“It’s pro sports. You need your body to compete at the highest level and your body has to be in the best possible shape. So, whatever it takes for it to be at that point, that’s what I’ll be doing.”
The Sharks could dearly use the type of boost Couture could provide as they entered Tuesday on an eight-game losing streak and with the worst record in the NHL at 9-25-3. During this latest skid, Sam Jose has been outscored 35-11.
Couture has been a do-everything type of player for the Sharks throughout most of his 14-year NHL career. Besides being a leader on both the power play and the penalty kill, Couture usually matches up against the opposing team’s top line.
Asked what it’ll mean to the Sharks once Couture returns, defenseman Mario Ferraro said, “It’s going to be huge. I mean, that’s our captain. That’s our leader. (Power play), PK, he does everything.
“It’s going to be big for us to get him back. Not just his play on the ice, but having him on road trips, having his presence in the room, his energy, and his drive. We’re going to need that.”
After Saturday, the Sharks embark on a five-game road trip from Jan. 9-16 with stops in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo, and Chicago.