The Sharks were dealt another difficult blow during what has been a tough 2023-24 NHL season.
In speaking to reporters on Friday, San Jose captain Logan Couture revealed he will not play again for the remainder of the season.
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The 34-year-old missed the Sharks' first 45 games of the 2023-24 season while recovering from a lower-body injury, appearing in just six games before suffering a setback with the same injury.
In six appearances this season, Couture registered just a single point -- an assist in his first game back, a 5-3 Sharks' win over the Anaheim Ducks.
San Jose is tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the lowest point total in the NHL this season (37), far removed from any kind of contention that would justify the risk of rushing Couture back.
With Friday's blockbuster trade of Tomáš Hertl, the Sharks are now left to play out the remainder of the season without a pair of veteran frontline attackers with ties to San Jose's golden age of hockey.
San Jose Sharks
Couture revealed that while he was kept in the loop about the potential of Hertl being traded, seeing is former teammate being dealt still is a difficult pill to swallow.
With 20 games remaining in the season, San Jose must find a way to march forward while being fueled by the younger talent that is sure to see an increase in workload in the absence of two veteran stalwarts.