Sharks’ Couture weighs pros, cons of returning this season

Logan Couture is not sure if the Sharks will suit up for another game this season but does know it would be tough for him or anyone else to go without practicing or playing for another five or six months.

The Sharks have not played since March 11 and may not get to practice again as a team until this winter. The NHL still has to decide not only if will resume the rest of 2019-2020 calendar, but also whether to try and finish the rest of the regular season or go straight into the playoffs.

If the league the decides to go straight into the postseason, possibly with 20 or 24 teams, the 2020-2021 season may not begin until November, December or perhaps later. The Sharks are well out of the playoff picture, so if no more regular season games are played, they could wind up going without ice time as a team for eight months or longer.

“For me, I see both sides,” Couture told ABC7 News on Thursday. “I see the point of saying, ‘What are we doing here if we’re going through all of this to play six, seven, eight games, right?’ But at the same time, I also say, it would be nice to get a camp in the middle of summer to get playing hockey again to really break it up. Because if there’s no hockey and if the next season doesn’t start until December, we’re looking at a massive break.

“That’s a long time to be away from the game. I wish we could be playing right now, but unfortunately, that’s not realistic. I see both sides. We’ll see what happens coming up here. I think we should probably have more answers in the next little while.”

Couture may get more information Friday when he participates in another meeting with representatives from the NHL Players’ Association. Couture is the Sharks’ player representative to the union.

“The NHL and the NHLPA, they’re updating us constantly,” Couture said. “We usually have one or two calls a week with the players’ association and one’s scheduled (Friday). So, hopefully they’ll be more to discuss.”

A ton of details still have to be worked out before a plan to return is put in place.

Earlier Thursday, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported that 15 teams expressed interest in hosting games.

That list, LeBrun said, has been narrowed down by the league to fewer than 10, with cities like Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Las Vegas and St. Paul, Minn. still in the mix. Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said recently there have been no discussions about San Jose being a host city.

Couture noted if the Sharks and other non-playoff teams return to conclude the regular season, they would only have to be away from home for a few weeks. For teams that advance all the way to the Stanley Cup, though, they might need to be away from family for several months.

“For us, if we’re going to be playing and if we’re going to play, let’s say six, seven or eight games, it would be basically a three week stay,” Couture said. “It would be a week longer than a normal road trip for us, so it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. I’m sure teams that are going to make the playoffs and teams that may win the Stanley Cup, if they’re going to have to be away from families and away from home for three, three and a half months. that would be tougher for them.

“But  I think for the chance to win the Stanley Cup, I think most guys would take that.”

Couture and other Sharks players who have stayed in the area since the NHL paused its season March 12 have tried to stay in shape as best they can. Under normal circumstances at this time of year, players on non-playoff teams would have already started their offseason training regimen.

Instead, with Santa Clara County’s shelter in place order in effect at least until May 31, Couture has had to work with what he has around him.

“Right now, I’d be in a gym doing my summer training, so that is hurting us as athletes right now,” Couture said. “We would also be able to skate, right now we aren’t. But we’ll have time if we do come back this year or when we come back next season to properly get ready for training camp and work out and skate again.

“Right now I wish we could get to a gym, get our facility and start getting into my summer training. I’m making do with what I have here.”