Logan Couture will not play again this season because of a hip/groin injury and is aiming to return next season, the San Jose Sharks center said Friday.
“I hope [I can play next season]. Nothing’s ever guaranteed, obviously,” the San Jose captain said, per The Mercury News. “This injury has lingered for a long, long time already. So, I’m going to try and be ready. I mean, I couldn’t imagine not playing hockey. So, we’ll see.”
Couture had one assist in six games this season. He last played Jan. 31 before reaggravating the injury, which he sustained during offseason training, and had resumed workouts in mid-February.
Couture missed the first 45 games of the season and said in December that he feared, months earlier, that his career was over. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 20 and recorded an assist in a 5-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks. But 11 days later, Couture said he didn't feel right after playing 21:54 in a 3-2 overtime loss at the Ducks.
The 34-year-old, who has three seasons remaining on an eight-year contract he signed July 1, 2018, said Feb. 26 that he hoped to remain with San Jose after the NHL Trade Deadline, which passed Friday at 3 p.m. ET. He said Friday that he expects to remain with the rebuilding Sharks (15-40-7), who are tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for 31st in the NHL standings and traded forward Tomas Hertl, Couture’s longtime teammate, to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier in the day.
“I’m realistic. I’m not sure who’s going to trade for a guy who’s 35, makes $8 million, and plays six games in a season,” Couture said. “You’re not going to find any takers out there.
“I’m trying to get healthy, I’m trying to live a normal life away from hockey, and then once I start to feel better and get back to playing the game of hockey, we’ll go from there.”
Selected by San Jose with the No. 9 pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, Couture has 701 points (323 goals, 378 assists) in 933 regular-season games, all with the Sharks, and 101 points (48 goals, 53 assists) in 116 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
San Jose, which has 20 games remaining, hosts the Ottawa Senators on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, TVAS2, CITY, SN1).
