Logan Couture Adds A Huge "But" To His Sharks Pledge

Shortly after the trade of Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture stated that he's on board to stay and see this thing through in the Northern California city. But in a follow-up interview, he's added a big "BUT" to his comments. 

"I would love to finish my career in San Jose, but I also want to play meaningful hockey games," Couture told the San Jose Hockey Now podcast.

Couture, on his future with #SJSharks: "I would love to finish my career in San Jose, but I also want to play meaningful hockey games."

Watch the full Couture interview here --> https://t.co/PnDCBtneb0 pic.twitter.com/wIT2qEhKOx

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) August 17, 2023

The "but" certainly leaves open to question what the future holds for Couture, whose rebuilding Sharks have continued to devolve the past few years, to the point where they went 23-47-12 last season for a league-worst 58 points, and finished the year on a 13-game losing streak. 

"I can't tell you what's going to happen six months from now, a year from now, two years from now," continued the Sharks captain, while still emphasizing that he would love to play on a contender in San Jose again. "I do want to turn this thing around... The buzz in that rink when there's playoff hockey in that arena, there's no feeling like it." But will that happen again in course of the four remaining seasons on his contract? 

Couture registered his seventh 25-goal season last year in his 14-year career with the Sharks, and it seems it would certainly be hard for him to move on. But after only one trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in all that time (and coming up short, in 2016), and now deep in the midst of a full rebuild, it's understandable that the 34-year-old is starting to get concerned about having another chance to win Lord Stanley's mug. 

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