San Jose Sharks captain wants to return ASAP. Here’s why Quinn is saying, ‘not so fast’

San Jose Sharks taking cautious approach with Logan Couture, even if it means him missing the season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks hope to soon get a better idea of when Logan Couture might be able to skate again but coach David Quinn said the team will continue to take a cautious approach with their captain, even if it means he’ll miss the season opener next month.

Quinn said Monday the Sharks will see how Couture, who is dealing with an unspecified lower-body injury, feels later this week before they entertain the possibility of him skating again.

Couture said last week when training camp opened that his goal was to be ready to play on Oct. 12 when the Sharks open the season at home against the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. But Quinn said the organization will first do what it can to prevent the injury from recurring down the line.

“I’d love to have him play all 82,” games, Quinn said hours before the Sharks played the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center in their second preseason game.

“But first and foremost, our priority for him is his health. He’s someone that you’re going to have to maybe talk him off trying to get back in sooner than he probably should. So it’s on us to manage him and put him in the best position, when he comes back, to make sure he’s in for good.

“I’d rather bring him back a week late than a week early.”

Couture played all 82 games last season and was projected to once again projected to be the Sharks’ first- or second-line center this year. Right now, Mikael Granlund, who is expected to make his Sharks preseason debut Tuesday, is taking Couture’s spot in the top six forward group.

Couture has not had to sit out many Sharks games in recent years, only missing 32 games over the last six regular seasons. Midway through the 2019-2020 season, Couture missed 17 games over seven weeks after he broke his left ankle crashing into the boards in a game against the Blues in St. Louis.

With several new players in this season’s roster, the Sharks are hoping to get off to a better start season than last year when they began 0-5-0 and were 3-9-3 one month into the season. Couture’s injury does not help that cause.

“He’s pissed and frustrated,” Quinn said. “So we’ll see how he feels here in the next few days.”