Couture Shares Hopeful Timeline for Return to Skating, Game Action

Logan Couture is hoping that his nightmare season doesn’t repeat itself next year.

Couture played just six games this season in January, hampered by a deep groin issue, revealed to be Osteitis pubis.

What’s next for the San Jose Sharks captain?

Out since Jan. 31, Couture says it took a couple months to even get back to living his day-to-day life. Now, he’s feeling better, and planning to hit the ice once again in July. He and the Sharks medical staff are optimistic that he’ll be ready for training camp this September.

The 35-year-old also addressed his long-term future with the Sharks and who he’s cheering for between Tomas Hertl and Joe Pavelski in the first-round Vegas Golden Knights-Dallas Stars playoff match-up.

Couture, on his off-season plans:

Take some time off—a little bit time off right now, and then start to train and skate. Looking to skate in July and see how I feel.

Couture, on how different summer training will be this year:

I don’t know if it’s going to change too much.

I’m going to train a little differently just with some rehab stuff. Gonna do a lot of things that I was doing in San Francisco [for rehab].

We’re still gonna go back to Canada and I’m going to spend a few months there—family and friends—and then I’ll be back here in August and training with our guys here, and skating with our guys here.

Couture, on if it’s realistic to expect to be ready for the start of San Jose Sharks training camp with his plan:

That’s my plan right now. Met with the doctors just 20 minutes ago. That’s their belief, that’s what I’m hoping for. I miss playing hockey so much, so I hope so.

Couture, on talking with athletes who have overcome Osteitis pubis:

A few guys are going through it right now around the league.

Some guys are doing a little bit better, some guys aren’t as severe as mine was, and they’re a little bit younger.

Another guy who’s a little bit older than me was able to get through it. He told me it’s the hardest thing you’re gonna do is get over this injury. He had an injury where he broke his fibula, and he said, ‘I’d take that 100 times over Osteitis pubis.’

It’s tough, but it can be done.

Couture, on any specific players that he’s talked to about his injury:

One guy I talked to was Connor Murphy—he came out and said it.

I don’t feel comfortable naming other people that I’ve talked to just because I don’t know if they want that out there.

He’s played a few games [coming back from the injury]. I spoke with him on the phone numerous times, tried to tell him what I was going through.

In the NHL, you play against each other, and you hate each other on the ice, but guys off the ice are so nice and so helpful. It’s been nice to reach out to those other guys around the league.

Couture, on possibly seeking a trade from the San Jose Sharks next summer:

So many layers to that.

First of all, I have to get healthy. I have to play. I said this when I talked to you guys when Tommy got traded, no one’s gonna want a guy who’s injured, making my salary.

Obviously, I have a history of being a productive player in this league, but I’m gonna have to come back and show it for teams to have interest in me, and that’s just the way it is.

I believe in what they’re doing here. Obviously a terrible, terrible season, but I think this is rock-bottom. I think they’re growing this organization in the proper way. Even though you may not see it right now with how tough this season was.

We’ll see. I’m just turning 35, so the clock for me playing in this league is probably on the back-nine. I want to win, I miss playing in playoffs.

I can’t answer your question. I know you want this definitive answer, but I’m gonna try and get back to playing. Obviously, I see guys that were here the last couple of years who have gone on—some are in the playoffs, some aren’t.

Couture, on if he’s rooting for Pavelski or Hertl in the first round of the playoffs:

I text with Tommy quite a bit. He loves it. I mean, Vegas is obviously a first-class organization.

It’s tough. I want Joe Pavelski to win a Stanley Cup, but also want Tommy Hertl to win one. And Pete DeBoer and Steve Spott, so I don’t know who I’m cheering for, it’s a tough one.

Couture, on what new alternate captains Luke Kunin and Mikael Granlund bring to the leadership group:

They’re very well-respected players. You don’t become a well-respected player in this league without earning it.

[They] show up everyday and work extremely hard, whether it’s in the gym, on the ice, they practice hard. They have good habits.

They’re professional players—just being around people like that, I remember when I was a young player, you’re a sponge, you want to soak everything and you want to learn. Everyone in the room, and even things that they don’t say, people are always watching.

That’s just one message I have for guys—someone’s always watching you, someone’s always trying to learn something from you. You could do something dumb and you know the guy will look at it, and they’ll remember it.

Those guys are very well-liked in the room, respected, they play the game the proper way. They don’t take nights off.

Luke plays a very different style than Granny. He’s hard-nosed, he’s in your face. Granny had a tremendous year and he’s a very good player. He’s a full 200-foot player, a player that I think a lot of organizations want, and we’re fortunate to have him.