The San Jose Sharks will be starting training camp without their captain. Logan Couture is listed week to week with a lower body injury. Couture said he hurt himself during his summer training. While the Sharks have Tomas Hertl as the first line center, Couture is expected to anchor a new-look second line with some of the additions the General Manager Mike Grier made during the offseason.
Couture’s goal is to be ready for opening night, but this could leave the door open for Thomas Bordeleau to make the opening night roster. Mikael Granlund, who was acquired in the Erik Karlsson trade, could also be an option as the second line center, as well as Nico Sturm, who was the Sharks third line center last season. While the Sharks do have some depth in the center position, Couture is the second best center on the team, and any extended missed time this season could make what is expected to be a bad Sharks season even worse.
It is also early enough in camp that Couture could be healthy for the Sharks season opener on October 12th against the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights (gross). But it would be smart for Head Coach David Quinn to play the long game with Couture and his health. Despite playing every game last season, Couture has struggled with nagging issues in previous seasons, including a back issue that saw his production drop in the COVID 2020-21 season.
