SAN JOSE, Calif. — No. 1 draft decide Macklin Celebrini’s first official apply with the San Jose Sharks offered a wanted little bit of optimism for a franchise that has had little success in recent times.
The absence of captain Logan Couture was a purpose for concern, as he has no timeline to return to the ice from a groin harm that sidelined him for all however six video games final season.
Celebrini delivered on the excessive expectations that got here together with his lofty draft standing, wanting proper at dwelling in his first scrimmage of coaching camp by scoring a objective and creating scoring possibilities.
“On the finish of the day, it is the identical recreation I’ve performed ever since I used to be a child,” Celebrini mentioned. “It is simply having enjoyable and having fun with it.”
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Celebrini performed on a line with newly acquired veteran Tyler Toffoli, who mentioned enjoying with Celebrini was a giant purpose why he signed with San Jose this offseason regardless that the Sharks have not made the playoffs since 2019 and had the worst file within the NHL final season.
Toffoli mentioned enjoying with Celebrini was easy, with the first objective being to get him the puck.
“At the moment was clearly one thing particular,” he mentioned. “It was the primary day of camp and he was flying on the market, top-of-the-line gamers on the ice, for certain. I feel the objective for him is he needs to be the most effective participant on the ice day by day. Thus far, he completed that immediately.”
The objectives for Couture are a lot easier. He’s simply making an attempt to get wholesome and be capable to skate once more.
Couture, 35, missed all of coaching camp and the primary 45 video games final season due to a probably debilitating situation referred to as osteitis pubis, or irritation within the joint between the left and proper pubic bones.
He managed to return to play six video games in January earlier than the situation bought worse and he was shut down for the remainder of the season after a Jan. 31 recreation in Anaheim.
“It has been powerful,” Couture mentioned. “There’s been completely different levels of the place mentally I have been at within the final 15, 16 months. Quite a lot of ups and downs, highs and lows. I am unable to say it has been straightforward for certain, however I’ve form of discovered methods to correctly take care of it.”
Couture mentioned the primary few weeks had been the worst when it was painful even to do on a regular basis issues round the home like play together with his son. His situation has improved significantly however to not the purpose the place he even has a timeline for when he can skate once more.
“We’re not even at that time actually,” he mentioned. “I have not skated since Jan. 31, or no matter it was that recreation in Anaheim. There isn’t any instant plan to get again on the ice.”
Couture has been a stalwart in San Jose and is likely one of the few remaining ties to the group’s profitable runs within the 2010s. He has 323 objectives and 378 assists in 933 profession video games and has been a postseason star. He has 48 objectives and 53 assists in 116 playoff video games and led all gamers in postseason objectives in 2019 with 14 and in postseason assists (20) and factors (30) in 2016.
He has three years remaining on his contract with wage cap hits of $8 million per 12 months and nonetheless has hope that he’ll be capable to play once more this season.
Normal supervisor Mike Grier mentioned Couture will begin the season on injured reserve however will nonetheless contribute as a frontrunner and captain.
“It is simply not a scenario or an harm that we are able to form of rush or put a timeline on,” Grier mentioned. “When his physique tells him he is able to play, then he’ll get again on the market. He is doing all he can to get again and assist the group.”
