Sharks centre Logan Couture to miss 4-6 weeks after breaking right leg in practice

SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Sharks centre Logan Couture will likely miss more than a month after breaking a leg during practice.

General manager Doug Wilson said Friday the break at the right ankle happened in New Jersey on Thursday. Couture will travel to San Jose for surgery and miss four to six weeks.

New coach Pete DeBoer said that Couture got his skate caught in a rut on the ice and a teammate leaned against him, causing the injury.

His loss is significant for the Sharks, who are 3-0-0 under DeBoer. Couture had one assist through three games while centring the second line between Patrick Marleau and Joel Ward.

“Everyone deals with these types of things,” DeBeor said before the Sharks played the Devils on Friday.

Couture is the second Sharks forward to be gone for substantial time this season. Raffi Torres was suspended 41 games for an illegal hit in preseason.

The Sharks called up 2014 first-round pick Nikolay Goldobin from the AHL.

“He has a ton of skill,” DeBoer said of Goldobin. “He creates offence whenever he is on the ice, things are happening offensively. He also has a commitment to learning the game away from the puck.”