With Couture sidelined, young Sharks will get their chance

Logan Couture’s injury is giving Tomas Hertl and Nikolay Goldobin — two recent first-round draft picks by the Sharks — an opportunity to take a step in their NHL development.

Couture, 26, is arguably the team’s best all-around forward when his defensive play and willingness to block shots are combined with his creative ways in the offensive zone.

Goldobin was a late roster scratch in training camp, assigned to the American Hockey League’s San Jose Barracuda.

Goldobin not only made his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils, he hit the jackpot by joining linemates Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski.

[...] he’s helped turn Joe Pavelski into a goal-scoring right wing and Brent Burns into an effective forward when injury prevented the natural defenseman from playing on the blue line.

Goldobin, represented by ex-Shark Igor Larionov, scored a combined 68 goals and 162 points during his two seasons (2012-14) with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League.

Hertl’s natural position is center, but his time in the middle has been limited during his first 122 NHL games.

Pavelski could slide back from Thornton’s line to take Couture’s spot, and the Sharks could add a conditioning Karlsson to Jumbo’s group.

Maybe Kings assistant John Stevens will hold the head coaching reins someday, but general manager Dean Lombardi is far too loyal to Sutter to make an early rash move.

Another ex-Sharks coach, Todd McLellan with struggling Edmonton, was named Friday as the coach for Team North America, which will be composed of U.S. and Canadian players age 23 and younger to compete in next September’s World Cup of Hockey.

Ex-Sharks backup goalie Thomas Greiss made 44 saves Thursday to improve to 2-0-1 with a .925 save percentage.