Logan Couture hasn't played a game for the San Jose Sharks in 2023-24, but that will change on Saturday night. The 34-year-old will make his season debut in a Pacific Division clash with the Anaheim Ducks at the SAP Center in California.
Couture has missed the entire campaign with a lower-body injury he suffered while training in the offseason.
“I can honestly say two months ago, I would wake up and didn’t know if I was ever going to play in the NHL again,” the Sharks captain admitted just over a month ago, according to NHL.com's. “It's something that I thought of many, many days.”
The return of the former No. 9 overall pick will be an enormous boost to a San Jose team firmly entrenched in the basement of the National Hockey League, with a ghastly 10-31-4 record through 45 contests.
The proven playoff performer got into all 82 games with the Sharks in 2022-23, scoring 27 goals and 67 points, his highest total since recording 70 points back in 2018-19.
Couture has played his entire career in San Jose, scoring 700 points over 927 regular-season games and adding another 48 goals and 101 points over 116 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He helped the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, a series they would lose to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
On Saturday night, the former Ottawa 67 will line center the second line along with Fabian Zetterlund and Alexander Barabanov. He was also seen at practice working with the top powerplay unit, a group that features his linemates as well as Tomas Hertl and William Eklund.
Reinforcements have arrived for Sharks
As well as Couture, the Sharks will welcome back Nico Sturm on Saturday night. After missing 17 straight games with an upper-body injury, the 28-year-old will resume his third-line center role vs. the Ducks. He'll skate alongside Luke Kunin and Mike Hoffman.
Sturm has scored two goals and four points in 26 games in 2023-24.
“When we have three of our centers intact, we're a much more successful hockey team,” head coach David Quinn explained Thursday, per NHL.com. “Certainly gives us a much deeper and longer-looking lineup.”
Although it's already a lost season for No. 32 San Jose, the return of captain Logan Couture will be a huge boost for this club on and off the ice. It'll also be intriguing to see if the Sharks move one of their biggest trade chips ahead of the Mar. 8 NHL Trade Deadline.
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