Sharks’ Logan Couture discusses injury, what’s next for him
Logan Couture on the play he was hurt on pic.twitter.com/jCwrSGue8S
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) January 9, 2020
SAN JOSE — Logan Couture said he has faith the Sharks can stay in the playoff chase while he misses the next several weeks with a broken bone in his left ankle.
“We’re going to need other guys to step up,” Couture said Thursday morning, “and I’ve got full confidence that the guys in that room are going to step up and play well and take on a big role.”
An MRI on Wednesday revealed that Couture has a small fracture to his Talus bone, which is between the heel bone and the tibia and fibula bones of the lower leg. The Sharks estimated the injury would keep Couture out of action for approximately six weeks.
Couture was getting around with the help of a knee scooter Thursday and said he will begin a strength and conditioning program in the next few days.
“The bone just has to heal. We’re going to monitor it throughout the recovery process here, see how it heals,” Couture said. “If it heals quicker, then I’ll be out there quicker. If it doesn’t, then it’s going to take time. It’s just the way that bone injuries work.”
Couture was injured in the second period of the Sharks’ game Tuesday with the St. Louis Blues Couture and Blues defenseman Vince Dunn were chasing after a loose puck on the end boards inside the St. Louis zone. Couture’s left leg slammed hard into the boards, and initially he thought he had hurt his knee or his kneecap.
“In the training room, you get the video feed up and we were just trying to figure out what exactly I could have hurt when I went in,” Couture said. “They were able to see that my ankle went in at a weird angle and figured that’s what did it. Just a weird play.
“(Dunn) kind of nudged me a little bit when I wasn’t expecting it, and that’s my own fault. I’ve got to protect myself when I’m going hard into the boards like that. I take responsibility for not protecting myself the proper way.”
Logan Couture's fracture is to his Talus Bone (area highlighted in red) #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/MsT6aY9vGH
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) January 9, 2020
X-rays on a couple of different areas of Couture’s leg were negative, giving the Sharks’ captain a bit of optimism that he might have come away from the incident without any major damage.
“At first we thought that I escaped without any fracture,” Couture said, “but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.”
The Sharks entered Thursday’s game with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 13th place in the Western Conference, nine points out of a playoff spot.
Thursday morning, the Sharks adjusted their lineup with Tomas Hertl centering the top line with Evander Kane and Kevin Labanc and Joe Thornton centered a line with Marcus Sorensen and Barclay Goodrow.
Antti Suomela was in a top nine forward role, playing the middle on a line with Patrick Marleau and Timo Meier. The Sharks’ fourth line will stay intact with Joel Kellman playing center with wingers Stefan Noesen and Melker Karlsson.
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