Logan Couture is expected to make his season debut for the San Jose Sharks when they host the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSSC, NBCSCA). 
Couture has been out all season with a lower-body injury he sustained during offseason training.
“I can honestly say two months ago, I would wake up and didn’t know if I was ever going to play in the NHL again,” the Sharks captain said Dec. 13. “It’s something that I thought of many, many days.”
Couture was the center on the second line with left wing Fabian Zetterlund and Alexander Barabanov during line rushes at practice Thursday, according to SJHockeyNow.com.
Nico Sturm, who has missed the past 17 games with an upper-body injury, is also expected to play Saturday. He was the center on the third line with left wing Luke Kunin and Mike Hoffman.
“When we have three of our centers intact, we’re a much more successful hockey team,” coach David Quinn said on Thursday. “Certainly gives us a much deeper and longer-looking lineup.”
Couture played all 82 games last season, getting 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists), his highest total since 2018-19 (70 points; 27 goals, 43 assists). A first-round pick (No. 9) by San Jose at the 2007 NHL Draft, the 34-year-old has 700 points (323 goals, 377 assists) in 927 regular-season games and 101 points (48 goals, 53 assists) in 116 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Sturm has four points (two goals) in 26 games this season.
The Sharks (10-31-4) are eighth in the Pacific Division.
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