No. 1 overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini's first official practice with the San Jose Sharks provided a needed bit of optimism for a franchise that has had little success in recent years.
The absence of captain Logan Couture was a reason for concern as he has no timeline to return to the ice from a groin injury that sidelined him for all but six games last season.
Celebrini delivered on the high expectations that came with his lofty draft status by looking right at home in his first scrimmage of training camp by scoring a goal and creating scoring chances.
“At the end of the day it’s the same game I’ve played ever since I was a kid,” Celebrini said. “It’s just having fun and enjoying it.”
Celebrini played on a line with newly acquired veteran Tyler Toffoli, who said playing with Celebrini was a big reason why he signed with San Jose this offseason even though the Sharks haven't made the playoffs since 2019 and had the worst record in the NHL last season.
Toffoli said playing with Celebrini was simple with the primary goal being to get him the puck.
“Today was obviously something special,” he said. “It was the first day of camp and he was flying out there, one of the best players on the ice, for sure. I think the goal for him is he wants to be the best player on the ice every day. So far, he accomplished that today.”
The goals for Couture are much simpler. He is just trying to get healthy and be able to skate again.
The 35-year-old Couture missed all of training camp and the first 45 games last season because of a potentially debilitating condition called osteitis pubis, or inflammation in the joint between the left and right pubic bones.
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He managed to return to play six games in January before the condition got worse and he was shut down for the rest of the season after a Jan. 31 game in Anaheim.
“It’s been tough,” Couture said. “There’s been different stages of where mentally I’ve been at in the last 15, 16 months. A lot of ups and downs, highs and lows. I can’t say it’s been easy for sure, but I’ve kind of learned how to properly deal with it.”
Couture said the first few weeks were the worst when it was painful even to do everyday things around the house like play with his son. His condition has improved considerably but not to the point where he even has a timeline for when he can skate again.
“We’re not even at that point really,” he said. “I haven’t skated since Jan. 31, or whatever it was that game in Anaheim. There’s no immediate plan to get back on the ice.”
Couture has been a stalwart in San Jose and is one of the few remaining ties to the team’s successful runs in the 2010s. He has 323 goals and 378 assists in 933 career games and has been a postseason star. He has 48 goals and 53 assists in 116 playoff games and led all players in postseason goals in 2019 with 14 and in postseason assists (20) and points (30) in 2016.
He has three years remaining on his contract with salary cap hits of $8 million per year and still has hope that he will be able to play again this season.
General manager Mike Grier said Couture will start the season on injured reserve but will still contribute as a leader and captain.
“It’s just not a situation or an injury that we can kind of rush or put a timeline on,” Grier said. “When his body tells him he’s ready to play, then he’ll get back out there. He’s doing all he can to get back and help the group.”
