NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 20: Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks (L) celebrates his first period goal against Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers along with Tomas Hertl #48 (R) at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE – Although Logan Couture could start to skate again sometime in the next few days, San Jose Sharks coach David Quinn indicated that it’s unlikely the team’s captain will be available to play in a week’s time.
“It’s probably a longshot as we stand here,” Quinn said Thursday morning before the Sharks played the Los Angeles Kings in Salt Lake City in their final preseason game.
Couture, 34, hasn’t skated since the start of training camp as he’s been considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. He has felt better in recent days, Quinn has said, but would seemingly still need to be able to practice at full speed and improve his conditioning before he’s ready to play.
The Sharks begin the regular season next Thursday against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. That starts a treacherous four-game homestand with ensuing dates against Colorado, Carolina, and Boston on Oct. 14, 17, and 19, respectively. Those four teams all won their respective divisions last season.
Following the homestand, the Sharks start a road trip with games against the Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Washington Capitals. In all, seven of the Sharks’ first nine opponents made the playoffs last season.
Couture has played in 13 consecutive season-opening games for the Sharks, starting with his second full season of professional hockey in 2010.
Without Couture on Thursday, the Sharks will have Tomas Hertl, Mikael Granlund, Thomas Bordeleau, and Nico Sturm as their four centermen against the Kings. It’s a configuration that the Sharks could also trot out next Thursday against the Golden Knights if Couture is unable to play and has to start the year on injured reserve.
NHL teams have until Monday to submit their 23-man rosters to the league.
“I like our depth,” at center, Quinn said. “It’d be nice to everybody healthy.”
Replacing Couture, even in the short term, won’t be easy. Hertl and Granlund have plenty of experience playing in top-six center roles, but Couture is also counted on to kill penalties and play on the top power-play unit.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Sharks’ top power play unit featured five forwards in Hertl, Granlund, Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair, and Alexander Barabanov.
Please check back for updates to this story.
Originally published at Curtis Pashelka