San Jose Sharks
Sharks Locker Room: Kaut on Why He Wanted Out of Colorado, Couture Jokes He Owns Jones
This was an unusual day for the San Jose Sharks organization.
The Sharks shut out the Seattle Kraken 4-0 and the San Jose Barracuda trounced the Abbotsford Canucks 7-2. It was the first time this season that the NHL-AHL brothers won on the same day.
Captain Logan Couture joked about the own goal that he got credited for against ex-San Jose Sharks starter Martin Jones, James Reimer says he felt for Jones after that goal, and Martin Kaut, making his Sharks debut, revealed that he had asked the Colorado Avalanche for a trade multiple times in his time there.
Logan Couture, on his goal, actually a Yanni Gourde own goal:
I got the puck. I turned, I shot, and went off the crossbar. (laughs)
Couture, on if he’ll be teasing ex-teammate Martin Jones about the goal:
I looked at him. He had a big smile on his face. He was pretty pissed. I told him I own him this year. Two [goals] in two [games].
Couture, on why his line with Alexander Barabanov and Mikey Eyssimont is clicking:
Barbie does an incredible job as a smaller guy protecting pucks, seeing the ice. He’s a smart player. It’s tough for other guys to get the puck off of him. I think him and I think the game on a similar level.
I think Mikey works extremely hard. He gets under the [other] team’s skin, forechecks. He’s all over the puck, goes to the net. Great addition, he’s a great guy in the locker room, on the line. He’s always positive. I think he’s done a tremendous job for us.
James Reimer, on his injury, described as being “under the weather”:
Just some body parts weren’t feeling great. Feeling a little better. We all know the hockey stuff, right? I feel good now and I’m looking forward to finishing strong.
Reimer, on if he feels for the opposing goalie when a goal like Couture’s goes in:
Honestly, man, that’s a snipe. He said before the game he was gonna try it. (laughs) It was a bomb. He couldn’t catch up to it.
You see those goals every now and again.
Sometimes, it crosses your mind when they’re lining up for a faceoff. You’ve seen all the bloopers and stuff like that.
That’s one of those obviously, somebody crossed, in front of Joner’s vision. The last picture he saw was none of our players had the puck on their stick, right?
As a goalie, you’re not thinking the puck is going to come at you. When you’re looking the other way, you’re trying to see where the puck’s going.
He probably just saw it just underneath him when it came through his d-man’s legs.
It’s just one of those horrible bounces.
I don’t think he’s gonna lose much sleep over it because it’s just a fluky play. But you kind of feel bad for the other goalie because everybody’s had their fair share of bad bounces, but at the same time, on the other end, I’ll take a goal.
Martin Kaut, on his call-up to the San Jose Sharks:
I got called up yesterday afternoon after [San Jose Barracuda] practice in Vancouver. I flew here at 7 PM from Vancouver, got here at 12 something. I was very excited for the game.
Kaut, on his feelings about the Colorado Avalanche trading him:
Honestly, I asked for a trade like probably five times during the five years.
Actually, Tomas Hertl was the first guy who called me, and he told me I was traded to San Jose. It was a bit funny. Then the GM from the Avs [Chris MacFarland] called me, but I already knew it.
Kaut, on his relationship with Hertl:
We practice together in the summer. We live in Prague, so we’re really good buddies.
Kaut, on his reaction when Hertl called him:
At first, I thought he was like a little bit drunk or something. Just kidding, he’s a funny guy, but after that, like 15 minutes [later], the GM called me.
Kaut, on why he was unhappy in Colorado:
I played, this year with the Avs, like 30 games or something. Most of the time, I played on the fourth line with two [defensemen] and I played center. I’m a right wing. Played four or five minutes [in a game].
I know Colorado wants to win a Stanley Cup again, so it’s really hard to make the top-three lines. But that’s why I asked for a trade.
David Quinn, on Noah Gregor’s line:
Good, good. They did a good job. I moved Svech up there for a little bit. I thought he had the hot hand. I thought everybody contributed, to me.
Quinn, on beating a playoff-bound team like the Kraken:
Well, we’ve played the better teams [better than] we have the teams that aren’t better. So it’s been a funny year that way, we have two wins against Minny, two against Dallas, beat Vegas, Toronto, Tampa. So you know it’s funny that way, but it was a really good team we just beat tonight. It’s good to see we can step up our game when we need to.
Quinn, on if Hertl put in a good word about Kaut, and how he felt about Kaut’s San Jose Sharks debut.
He did. I known [Martin] known from afar. And obviously, Tomas certainly thinks he’s a really good player.
I liked his game a lot tonight. It was a big kid who skates, is responsible. It’s not an easy situation to be thrown into. He flies in late last night to play his first game for us. I liked what I saw.