San Jose Sharks get two players back, but that’s where the good news ends

SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture has had a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury, coach David Quinn said Tuesday.

Couture skated at times while the Sharks were on their road trip last week, including on Friday, Quinn said, when the setback apparently took place.

Also, defenseman Matt Benning will likely go on injured reserve, Quinn said, who added that winger Alexander Barabanov will miss four-to-six weeks with the broken finger he suffered on Oct. 24 against the Florida Panthers. Barabanov was in front of the net when he was accidentally hit by a shot from Mike Hoffman.

Benning was scratched from last Thursday’s game with the Carolina Hurricanes but played Sunday against the Washington Capitals.

The good news for the Sharks on Tuesday is that two other players are now available, as defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk was recalled from his AHL conditioning loan and forward/defenseman Jacob MacDonald was activated off IR.

Okhotiuk and MacDonald did practice Tuesday as the Sharks (0-8-1) began preparations for Thursday’s game with the Vancouver Canucks.

Okhotiuk, who came to San Jose in February’s trade that sent Timo Meier to New Jersey, had one assist and was a -4 in five games for the Barracuda from Oct. 20-29. MacDonald has been out with an undisclosed injury and has yet to play this season.

MacDonald was acquired by the Sharks from Colorado in January as part of the trade that saw forward Matt Nieto and Ryan Merkley go to the Avalanche. MacDonald is actually the only player left from the trade on either team’s roster, as forward Martin Kaut, who the Sharks also picked up in the deal, spurned the Sharks as a restricted free agent to sign with Pardubice In his native Czech Republic.

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