Logan Couture isn't sure when he will return to the San Jose Sharks' lineup but left little doubt regarding where he wants to be after the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8.
The 34-year-old forward has three seasons remaining on an eight-year contract he signed July 1, 2018. The Sharks (15-36-5) are 31st in the NHL with a .313 points percentage, ahead of only the Chicago Blackhawks (.297)
"Right now, I'm injured," the Sharks captain said Monday. "I just want to play hockey again. That's where my mind is at. If I can get back to playing hockey again, that's a question you can ask me, but I want to be on the Sharks. I love this place.
"This organization means a lot to me, so I couldn't see myself playing for another team, but right now I'm just trying to get back to playing hockey again."
Couture said he has resumed off-ice workouts again after reaggravating a lower-body injury last month, which has caused him to miss the past five games. He previously tried to do off-ice work two weeks ago.
"This is frustrating because you thought that you were past it, but as I started to play a little bit more, I was getting more sore," Couture said. "Even on days when I didn't skate and off days, it was getting worse. It's not a good sign. I woke up and I couldn't get out of bed, couldn't move for a bit and I knew what it was this time, but it definitely wasn't much easier."
Couture missed the first 45 games of the season because of a hip/groin injury he sustained during offseason training. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 20, getting one assist in a 5-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks in San Jose. But just 11 days later, Couture said he didn't feel right after playing 21:54 in a 3-2 overtime loss at the Ducks.
"It was creeping in, and after that last game against Anaheim, I didn't really feel great for a couple days and then it got pretty bad," he said. "So since then, I was just trying to get back to feeling good away from hockey and day-to-day life.
"It's a tough injury, but that's the way these things go. I'll continue to work and try and get better. It's so tough because I felt so good going into those games, skating hard. I felt like myself on the ice, so it was tough."
Couture has one assist in six games this season. His 702 career points (355 goals, 407 assists) are fourth in Sharks history.
"I'm just at a point now where I can get around and work out (off ice)," Couture said. "I'm just trying to feel better every day when I wake up and come in, get some work done and see how I feel when I go home. It's just kind of a day-by-day thing right now."
NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report
