Sharks should get healthy Couture back on trip
The Sharks were a lively bunch Saturday morning. A quick, energetic skate. Some animated post-practice conversations in the locker room. Smiles all around before they boarded their afternoon flight to Dallas.
The Sharks have reasons to feel good. Not only are they playing some of their best hockey of the season going into Sunday’s game against the Stars, but it appears their leading scorer is on the verge of a return.
Center Logan Couture, out for the last two weeks while recovering from a concussion, took his familiar spot as the Sharks’ second-line center for San Jose’s 30-minute practice after skating earlier this week in an orange noncontact jersey.
The Sharks captured six of a possible eight points in Couture’s absence to remain in third place in the Pacific Division.
Couture’s potential return, though, would certainly provide a boost for a team looking to sustain the momentum it has built over the last three weeks with a 6-1-2 record.
Things are starting to come together.
“Credit to our group,’’ coach Pete DeBoer said.
“(Couture’s) been our best player through the first half of the year. We took him out of the lineup for four games and we went 3-1, so we found a way. But to add him back in makes us a better and a different team.”
If Couture remains in good health, he presumably would return to the lineup Sunday as the Sharks begin a five-game trip.
“Still up in the air. We’ll see how I feel today and then tomorrow (Sunday) do the same,” Couture said about a potential return Sunday.
Couture, having an allstar-caliber season with a team-leading 15 goals, suffered a hit to the head Dec. 15 in a game against the Vancouver Canucks.
He’s shown steady improvement — particularly after the Sharks returned from their Christmas break — as he’s skated every day this week and increased his exertion level along the way.
Couture skated on a line with Kevin Labanc and Melker Karlsson on Saturday. Starting with Sunday’s game, the Sharks play 14 of their next 18 games on the road.
“We’ve played well,” Couture said. “We’re winning games. We know this is a big road trip before our break and January’s a pretty crazy month for us with the amount of games we have. It’s a big stretch for us.”
For Saturday’s practice with Couture back, DeBoer moved Tomas Hertl from second line center to wing on the Sharks’ top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski.
Hertl has had success this season as a winger on Couture’s line, but arguably his most productive games as a Shark have come alongside Pavelski and Thornton, notably in the second half of the 201516 regular season, when he had 31 points in San Jose’s final 46 games.
Hertl took over as the Sharks’ second-line center when Couture was injured, and he remained productive, with three goals and assist.
Still, with Thornton and Pavelski getting healthier almost by the game, it’ll be interesting to see if the trio can recapture some of the magic they created two years ago.
“With (Thornton) I had like the best half-season of my career,” Hertl said.
Said DeBoer: “I’ve liked Tomas all year. He’s a big body. He’s playing well. He’s taken a step, maturity-wise, as a player and as a person who’s grown up. He’s a very effective player for us, and the point totals don’t tell you everything he does for us.”
Jannik Hansen, who had been on Thornton and Pavelski’s line the last three games, skated on the fourth line with Joel Ward, Mikkel Boedker and Marcus Sorensen. The third line of Chris Tierney, Timo Meier and Joonas Donskoi remained intact.
With Couture’s status for Sunday’s game still not 100 percent clear, DeBoer said the line combinations haven’t been finalized.
After Sunday, the Sharks travel to Canada to play four games in six days before they begin a four-day break Jan. 8-11.
“We’re going to have to use our whole bench, all our depth,” DeBoer said.
“Traditionally, we’ve been a good road team. I think our game sets up well for the road with how we play. Now it’s about executing in some tough buildings. I think the guys are excited about the challenge.”