After failing to score a point in the first three games of December, Sharks center Logan Couture has caught fire over the last two games. He's scored four points since Thursday, three of which came in Saturday night's blowout win over the Ottawa Senators.
There's reason to believe his streak will reach a third game in Sunday night's tilt with the Minnesota Wild: Couture's scored 66 points in 84 career games on the second night of a back-to-back. That includes six in four such games this season, according to STATS.
San Jose has certainly needed that kind of form from Couture, who leads the team in goals (15) points (25), and game-winning goals (3). The 28-year-old has scored or assisted a third of the Sharks' goals, putting a fifth of them in the back of the net himself.
It's fairly easy to imagine where the Sharks would be without Couture. An already-anemic offense, the league's third-worst, would still be sinking amidst the rising tide lifting all boats that is the NHL's scoring boom.
San Jose, currently holding the third and final divisional playoff spot in the Pacific by a measly games-played tiebreaker, would not be anywhere close to postseason contention. Whether or not the Sharks, boasting one of the league's thinnest farm systems, should welcome such a development is a discussion for another time.
Regardless, the Sharks' season would be far uglier without him.
Couture likely doesn't have the gaudy scoring totals to truly warrant a place in the Hart Trophy conversation. So far this season, however, few players have been more integral in their team's success than him.
Sports
In addition to leading the the team in scoring, head coach Peter DeBoer's relied upon Couture in every situation. He's second among Sharks forwards in average total ice time, third among San Jose skaters in total power play ice time, and the third-most used forward on the penalty kill.
It's unclear whether or not Couture can, or will, continue to shoulder this same offensive burden. His shooting percentage this season (21.7 percent) is likely unsustainable, nearly 10 points higher than his career average.
Yet, even as the Sharks appear to be rounding into form offensively, Couture's largely driven the bus. San Jose's scored 29 goals in their last nine games after scoring 46 in their first 19.
Couture's still been responsible for 31 percent of the team's goals over the last nine games, compared to about 35 percent in the first 19. That's a subtle decline, but an important one if the rest of the team can improve.
His scoring totals aren't eye-popping compared to the league leaders, but Couture's been as valuable for the Sharks as any player has for their team this season. If San Jose ultimately does make the postseason, it'll be in no small part because of Couture's early season efforts.
