Logan Couture

Logan Couture (born March 28, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Sharks ninth overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Logan Couture
Couture with the San Jose Sharks in 2016
Born	March 28, 1989 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	San Jose Sharks Genève-Servette HC
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	9th overall, 2007 San Jose Sharks
Playing career	2009–present

Playing career

Minor

Although he was born in Guelph, Ontario, Couture spent most of his youth growing up in Birr, near London, Ontario. He started playing minor hockey with the Lucan Irish (DD) of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA)'s Southwestern Ontario League.

Couture led his Lucan Irish Novice team to the OMHA's Red Lobster Cup for a SW Ontario title in 1998 and an OMHA All-Ontario DD title in 1998. His Irish Atom team also won the OMHA Ontario DD title in 2001. Both of those teams also won the International Silver Stick 'C' championships. He then moved to London and played three years with the 'AAA' London Junior Knights of the Minor Hockey Alliance League, where he was a teammate of current Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty. After his Bantam year with the Jr. Knights, Couture signed with the Junior B St. Thomas Stars.

Junior

In May 2005, Couture was drafted by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Ottawa 67's 12th overall in the 2005 OHL Priority Draft. He went on to score at a near point-per-game pace as a rookie with 64 points in 65 games in 2005–06, third in league rookie scoring behind John Tavares and Sergei Kostitsyn.[1] The next season, in 2006–07, Couture was added to the OHL roster for the 2006 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, replacing Jordan Staal, who was retained by the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.[2] Couture was also selected to play for the Eastern Conference in the 2007 OHL All-Star Game, winning the shooting accuracy competition.[3] After completing his second OHL season, where he improved to 78 points in 54 games, Couture was drafted ninth overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Returning to the 67's in 2007–08, Couture's production dipped to 58 points in 51 games, his lowest major junior total. He had also been named to the 2008 OHL All-Star Game, but was replaced by Michael Swift of the Niagara IceDogs due to injury.[4] Next season, in 2008–09, he finished in ninth place in league scoring with 39 goals and 48 assists for 87 points in 62 games. He also appeared in the 2009 OHL All-Star Game. Near the end of the season, he was named OHL Player of the Week on March 16, 2009, following an eight-point performance in three games.[5]

Professional

Couture with the Sharks during a preseason game, September 2009. He made his NHL debut with the team several weeks later.

On October 25, 2009, Couture made his NHL debut for the San Jose Sharks against the Philadelphia Flyers.[6] He scored his first NHL goal on November 5, 2009, against Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings. On April 22, 2010, Couture scored his first two playoff goals against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. He scored the game-tying goal in Game 3 in the second round against the Red Wings.[7]

Couture was also an integral part of the success of the 2009–10 American Hockey League (AHL)'s Worcester Sharks, as he played 42 games and scored 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points. He was a league-leader with nine game-winning goals and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team. He was also voted onto the AHL All-Star starting line-up for AHL Team Canada, and finished the game with a goal and two assists as well as scoring a shoot-out goal.

Couture played his first full season with the Sharks in 2010–11 and finished with 32 goals (second among rookies) and 56 points (also second). He earned a nomination for the Calder Memorial Trophy for these achievements, along with the New York Islanders' Michael Grabner and the Carolina Hurricanes' Jeff Skinner, the latter of which who won the award.[8]

On August 26, 2011, Couture signed a two-year, $5.75 million extension through to the 2013–14 season. During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Couture played for Genève-Servette HC of the Swiss National League A.[9][10] In the 2012–13 NHL season, when play resumed after the lockout, Couture played in all 48 regular season and 11 playoff games with the Sharks, leading the team in goals (21), blocks among forwards (51), game-winning goals (5), shots (151) and power play goals (7).[11]

On July 5, 2013, the Sharks announced that the club had signed Couture to a five-year, $30 million contract extension, which would come into effect on July 1, 2014.[12] On December 29, 2013, against the Anaheim Ducks, Couture scored his 100th career regular season goal.[13] On January 6, 2014, the Sharks reported that Couture would have surgery to repair a wrist injury on January 8; he missed six weeks as a result.[14]

After the 2014 seven-game playoff series loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings, Couture underwent surgery on his hand to repair an injury suffered in a fight with the Kings' Mike Richards in Game 6.[15]

During the 2015–16 season, Couture suffered a broken fibula in a practice, and in the second game after he returned to play from that injury he suffered an arterial bleed which required remedial surgery.[16] These injuries caused him to miss 30 games. However, he bolstered the San Jose Sharks line-up upon his return and helped lead the team all the way to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Couture led all players in playoff assists (20) and scoring (30).[17]

In August 2016, Couture was named to the Team Canada team for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, replacing the Dallas Stars' Jamie Benn.[18]

On July 1, 2018, he signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension with the Sharks.[19]

During the 2018–19 season, Couture amassed a personal-best 70-point season. During the 2018–19 playoffs the Sharks advanced as far as the 3rd round, losing to the eventual Stanley-Cup champion St. Louis Blues in 6 games. Despite not playing in the championship final round, Couture still led all playoff players in goals with 14, and finished third overall in playoff scoring with 20 points.[20]

Prior to the 2019–20 season, Couture was named the Sharks captain. It was his first captaincy since his junior career with the Ottawa 67's in 2008–09.[21] He fractured his left ankle on January 9, 2020.[22]

Personal life

Couture was born in Guelph, Ontario, to noted Fire Fighting police officer Chet and his mother Lori. At birth, there was a NHL-future omen: The delivery-room nurse Bernadette Devorski is the mother of NHL referee Paul and NHL linesman Greg Devorski.[23]

Couture has a younger brother by two years, Judson. He grew up in a small town called Birr, just north of London, Ontario. He attended Prince Andrew Public School and Northridge Public School for grades seven and eight, In 2003 Logan graduated from Northridge. Couture then attended A.B. Lucas Secondary School for all of high school.

Coming from an athletic family, his father, Chet Couture, is a London Fire Department Captain who played OHA senior hockey for 13 years and was a veteran Ontario Lacrosse League (OLA) and National Lacrosse League (NLL) referee, while his mother, Lori, a graduate of Brock University, was a physical education teacher at Lucas Secondary School.[24] Logan's grandfather on his mother's side, the late Cy Lemon, is a Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee.[23] His uncle Brian Lemon is a former nine-year veteran Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) pro lacrosse and OLA lacrosse player, and is the current NLL vice-president of operations. On his father's side, his late grandfather, Bob Couture, was a skilled softball pitcher and guitar player. Growing up, Couture was an exceptional athlete excelling specifically in hockey, lacrosse and baseball, where he was a two-time Honda Canada/Toronto Blue Jays "hit-run-throw" contest Canadian national champion in his age group. Couture decided at age 13 to drop the pursuit of baseball for the game of hockey. He is also a fan of the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.

On August 26, 2020, Couture claimed on Twitter he was "sucker-punched" in Toronto for discussing voting for the Republican Party in the upcoming election. Couture, who is not eligible to vote in United States elections because he is not an American citizen, later deleted the tweet and apologized for making the incident public and clarified that he "does not believe in supporting Donald Trump."[25][26]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004–05	London Jr. Knights AAA	AH U15		56	51	56	107	42		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	St. Thomas Stars	WOHL		48	24	22	46	6		11	4	6	10	2
2005–06	Ottawa 67's	OHL		65	25	39	64	52		6	3	4	7	0
2006–07	Ottawa 67's	OHL		54	26	52	78	24		5	1	7	8	4
2007–08	Ottawa 67's	OHL		51	21	37	58	37		4	2	1	3	0
2008–09	Ottawa 67's	OHL		62	39	48	87	46		7	3	7	10	6
2008–09	Worcester Sharks	AHL		4	0	0	0	7		12	2	1	3	11
2009–10	Worcester Sharks	AHL		42	20	33	53	12		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	San Jose Sharks	NHL		25	5	4	9	6		15	4	0	4	4
2010–11	San Jose Sharks	NHL		79	32	24	56	41		18	7	7	14	2
2011–12	San Jose Sharks	NHL		80	31	34	65	16		5	1	3	4	0
2012–13	Genève-Servette HC	NLA		22	7	16	23	10		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	San Jose Sharks	NHL		48	21	16	37	4		11	5	6	11	0
2013–14	San Jose Sharks	NHL		65	23	31	54	20		7	1	2	3	7
2014–15	San Jose Sharks	NHL		82	27	40	67	12		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	San Jose Sharks	NHL		52	15	21	36	20		24	10	20	30	8
2016–17	San Jose Sharks	NHL		73	25	27	52	12		6	2	1	3	0
2017–18	San Jose Sharks	NHL		78	34	27	61	18		10	4	8	12	4
2018–19	San Jose Sharks	NHL		81	27	43	70	22		20	14	6	20	6
2019–20	San Jose Sharks	NHL		52	16	23	39	18		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				715	256	290	546	189		116	48	53	101	31

International

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Canada Cup / World Cup
	2016 Toronto

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Canada Ontario	U17	5th		5	5	5	10	2
2007	Canada	WJC18	4th		6	2	2	4	2
2016	Canada	WCH			6	1	3	4	0
Junior totals					11	7	7	14	4
Senior totals					6	1	3	4	0

Records and accomplishments

• All-time NHL leader in rookie-season road game-winning-goals scored – 7[27]
• San Jose Sharks franchise leader in rookie-season goals scored – 32[28]
• First San Jose Shark to record 30 goals in his first two NHL seasons[29]
• 2nd in 2010–11 NHL season rookie goals scored – 32 (behind Michael Grabner)
• 2nd in 2010–11 NHL season rookie points scored – 56 (behind Jeff Skinner)
• Led entire NHL in points during the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs – 30[17]

Awards

• Named to the OHL All-Star Game in 2007, 2008* and 2009.
• Named OHL Player of the Week on March 16, 2009.[5]
• Named NHL Rookie of the Month – December 2010
• NHL Rookie All-Star team captain – 2010–11
• Calder Memorial Trophy Finalist – 2010–11
• Named to NHL All-Star Game – 2012 and 2020*
• Western conference champion – 2015–16

*unable to play due to injury[4]

References

1. "Top Scorers: 2005–06 Regular Season, Rookies". Ontario Hockey League. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
2. "Couture Added to ADT Canada Russia Challenge Roster". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
3. "Logan Couture Profile". Archived from the original on May 24, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
4. "More roster changes for OHL all-star game". SooToday.com. January 30, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
5. "Ottawa 67's Logan Couture Named Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week". Ontario Hockey League. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
6. Pollak, David (October 25, 2009). "Sharks update: Setoguchi, Vesce miss game with leg injuries". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
7. Khan, Ansar (May 4, 2010). "Red Wings in 3–0 hole against Sharks after Patrick Marleau scores in overtime". mlive.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
8. Hunter, Brian (April 19, 2011). "Couture, Skinner, Grabner round out Calder finalists". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
9. "Sharks' Couture to play in Swiss League". San Francisco Chronicle. September 18, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
10. Sherman, Rodger. "2012 Swiss Hockey standings: Yannick Weber and Logan Couture's Geneva in first". sbnation.com. October 8, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
11. "2012–13 Season Infographic – 6/25/2013". San Jose Sharks. June 25, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
12. "Sharks Sign Couture to a Five-Year Extension". National Hockey League. July 5, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
13. "Sharks snap Ducks' 10-game winning streak". CBS Sports. December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
14. Pollak, David (January 6, 2014). "Sharks' Logan Couture out 3–4 weeks". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
15. "Couture has surgery on hand injured in fight". sportsnet.ca. June 10, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
16. "Sharks' Couture out indefinitely after leg surgery". National Hockey League. December 11, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
17. "2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Leaders". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
18. "WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY: TEAM CANADA PLAYER UPDATE". hockeycanada.ca. Calgary. August 23, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
19. "Sharks Sign Center Logan Couture to Eight-Year Contract Extension". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
20. 2018–19 stats
21. Pashelka, Curtis (September 12, 2019). "Logan Couture named new San Jose Sharks captain". The Mercury News. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
22. "Sharks' Logan Couture out 6 weeks with broken ankle". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
23. Custance, Craig (October 15, 2013). "Five things about Couture". ESPN. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
24. Wigge, Larry (December 23, 2010). "Couture has become key member of Sharks". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
25. https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/sharks/sharks-logan-couture-says-he-was-punched-donald-trump-republican-support
26. https://twitter.com/Logancouture/status/1298729057442566147
27. "Couture sets record in Sharks 2–0 win over Caps". Comcast Sports Net Bay Area. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
28. "Patrick Marleau scores with 4 seconds left in overtime to extend Sharks' streak". ESPN. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
29. "Mentioned during Comcast Sports Net California 3/17/12 Sharks vs. Red Wings broadcast". Missing or empty |url= (help)

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database