Celebrating the Holidays with Logan Couture

Media planet caught up with Logan Couture, Guelph, ON native and captain of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, about holiday memories, Celebration 2021, and giving back to the community.

Since you have to spend a lot of the winter on the road with the NHL, what do you miss the most about the holiday season back home?

During the holidays we get three days off, so I usually spend Christmas in San Jose. Imiss the snow — but not the cold — and spending timewith allmy family and friends. Thisy ear isex citing because my girlfriend and I got a puppy, so it’ll be our first holiday season with her.

Growing up, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day back in Guelph and then London, ON were all about family and food — tons of food. But as long as I remember, even as a little kid, I was somewhere in a hockey tournament on Boxing Day. My parents have always sacrificed a long holiday break to let me pursue my passion.

With no confirmation of an NHL season, what are your holiday plans this year? And howis giving back part of that?

I’m sitting and waiting in San Jose to try to pass the time. I’m at the gymand rink most days and looking forward to the start of the season — whenever that is. I can’t wait to get back on the ice with the team!

Giving back has always been very important tome. We started the All-in for Brain Research Charity Casino four years ago in London and then expanded to Kitchener-Waterloo, ON in 2018. Itwas launched under CFL all-star Andy Fantuz’s name in Hamilton, ON last year, and plans were inplace tobe in-every CFL and NHL city for 2020. Our initial focus was on concussions, but this year some of the funds will be going to help with kids’ participation in sports. Kids haven’t been able to have any sort of physical outlet in most sports since March and this has had a significant negative impact on their mental health. The funds we raise will help alleviate some of these issues by giving kids tools and resources to play sports at home, in their basements, on their-drive-ways, or in-parks— with-proper physical distancing, of course.

Can you tell us more about All-in for Brain Research?

The pandemic has put our charity casinos on hold until 2021, but this year we hope to raise considerable funds for the worthy cause of research on concussions and brain health through our recently-launched online fund raise rat couture 39. com called

Celebration 2021, presented by BMO Private Wealth. It’ll help us celebrate the end of 2020 and plan for better things to come in 2021 with sports and time with friends and family. People can contribute in many ways, including purchasing signed limited-edition prints by London artist Scott Kish, checking out the online auctions of some amazing items including autographed jerseys from some of the top NHL stars, and buying my Lo-Co-Hazy I PA through partnerships with Forked River Brewery in London and Hapa’s Brewing Company in San Jose. All proceeds will go to the charity.