Logan Couture and the future ahead
Sometimes receiving a little less attention than your peers pays off in the end.
In the case of Logan Couture, not having to shimmer the Calder Trophy every other day over the course of the summer could very well end up helping him in the long-run.
A trusty young center for the new-look San Jose Sharks, the former ninth-overall pick is doing the usual professional athlete offseason routine. It’s just one of the many things he’ll be doing to help ensure that one day he plays a role in exorcizing his franchise’s inexplicable playoff demons.
After participating in close to a hundred contests in his first full NHL campaign, the former Ottawa 67 has been throwing out first pitches at local baseball games, organizing a charity sports tournament and generally taking time for himself, time to refresh.
“My days consist of going to the gym from about 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., going home, cooking lunch and then hanging out by the pool or golfing,” Couture told The Good Point recently.
Born in Guelph, Ontario, the 22-year-old now rents a place in San Jose, California year-round. For the summer months, however, he’s bunking up at his parents’ house in London, Ontario.
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“Sometimes I can’t even go out to dinner without people coming up to me,” said the 32-goal scorer of the difference between living in a place like San Jose where he is consistently recognized and a lower profile town like London.
Although his squad has shook the Minnesota Wild’s piggy bank for all its worth over the past two weeks – prying both Brent Burns and Martin Havlat away in separate deals – the dangerous left-handed forward is taking it all in stride.
Couture, who said he began skating again on Monday, June 27, is just as interested as everyone else in the hockey world when it comes to offseason chaos.
“I’m a fan when it comes to that,” he said prior to July 1. “It’s going to be interesting to see and I’m looking forward to seeing what our team does.”
On Twitter, Couture has evolved into a down-to-earth celebrity who posts everything from personal messages to fans to photos of his whereabouts. It’s something his nearly 50,000 followers clearly appreciate.
“I do like talking to fans, showing them my personality away from the rink,” he said. “All they really get to see is us on the ice and don’t really get to know you as a person.”
Tools such as Twitter have been a blessing for Couture and the rest of the Sharks roster, as their on-ice performance has been knocked by the media for the past half-decade.
“It’s tough to say; back-to-back years going to the Western Conference Final is an accomplishment in its own,” said Couture of what San Jose can do to get to the next level.
However, he said, nobody is entirely thrilled about the results.
“The way that our organization is, that’s not the way we want it to be.”
As for the man himself, Couture noted he is attempting to become stronger and quicker in preparation for a solid sophomore season.
“I need to get my legs a little stronger,” he said. “I have a feeling there’s going to be more match-ups against me – which is tough – but when you’ve got Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski playing in front of you, you learn from them.”
The two-way centerman is a steadfast commodity himself, something opponents will be focusing on more and more as his career continues to take off towards superstardom.
As SB Nation‘s Fear the Fin put it, Couture is a “franchise player in every sense of the word and a huge part of the leadership group in San Jose’s locker room.”
It’s hard to argue when the mature youngster presents himself well while suited up in the Sharks’ teal, white and black as well as when he’s dressed down for the summer.
“I love playing in San Jose. I hope I can continue to be here for the rest of my career,” Couture said.
“We want to win the Stanley Cup. You can say that but it’s so tough to do.”
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