San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture ends playing career because of injury
San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture, who's No. 4 in franchise scoring, announced Tuesday he is ending his playing career because of an injury that has kept him out of the lineup all season.
Couture, 36, also was limited to six games in 2023-24 because of osteitis pubis. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the inflammation of the joint between the pubis bones causes pain and swelling in the groin or lower abdomen. He last played on Jan. 31, 2024.
"I'm not physically able to play anymore," he said at a news conference. "It's tough … but it is what it is and I loved and I cherished every single moment that I got to play in this league. The NHL is everything that I dreamed of as a kid."
Couture had a lot of people to thank after spending all 15 of his years in the NHL with the Sharks, and many of his former teammates and coaches appeared on video to congratulate him on his career. The ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft was named captain in 2019.
Couture was best known for his prowess in the playoffs, where he scored 101 points in 116 postseason games.
That includes a league-best 20 assists and 30 points when the Sharks went to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. He also led the 2019 playoffs with 14 goals in 20 games.
"You were a clutch playoff performer, dominant in the playoffs," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said to Couture. "In the biggest games and in the biggest moments, you were at your best."
Couture finishes his playing career with 323 goals (including 55 game-winners), 378 assists and 701 points in 923 regular-season games. He finished behind Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski in Sharks scoring.
He thanked the team for supporting him through his comeback effort but noted that he couldn't train for more than two days without feeling pain.
Couture said he will spend the time focusing on his family. Grier told him he could have a job in the organization down the road whenever he was ready.
"I love hockey," Couture told reporters of his plans. "Obviously, it's all I've ever done and I have never really worked a real job outside of this. I feel like I know the game well. I can think the game well, so I do see a future but not anytime too soon. I'm just going to take some time with the kids and figure it out from there."