Logan Couture apologized to the Sharks and his family Wednesday, writing that he "did not do a good job of communicating my thoughts" in a series of since-deleted tweets, beginning with one in which Couture said he was sucker-punched in Toronto on Tuesday because he "talked about voting for the Republican party" and "mentioned Donald Trump by name."
"While I did not do a good job of communicating my thoughts earlier today, I do believe that everyone is entitled to their own voice and opinions," Couture wrote in a lengthy message posted on his Twitter account Wednesday. "But regardless of what anyone believes -- and to be clear, I do not believe in supporting Donald Trump -- responding with violence isn't the answer and doesn't solve anything.
"I regret the decision to make this incident public. I apologize to the Sharks, as well as my family for having to deal with this. I hold myself to a high standard, and I apologize for any of my comments that were poorly worded and do not reflect my true feelings or beliefs. I appreciate those who have reached out to me with their concern."
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https://twitter.com/Logancouture/status/1298729057442566147
Couture wrote in the statement that he wanted to expand upon his tweets, which he said were being "taken out of context."
The Sharks captain tweeted Wednesday morning that he was sucker-punched while out in Toronto on Tuesday night, tweeting in a subsequent reply that he was punched because he said his father was a police officer and that he would vote Republican if he could. The Canadian forward also tweeted that he "only talked about what the Republicans may bring in the election" on Nov. 3.
Couture, 31, is not a United States citizen, and he can't vote in American elections.
San Jose Sharks
In his follow-up statement, Couture said bringing politics to his platform was "wrong."
The Sharks issued their own statement within half an hour of Couture, saying the organization "was aware of the incident ... in which [he] was assaulted."
"We are thankful that he was not seriously hurt and unequivocally denounce physical attacks or abuse on anyone under any circumstances," the statement read.
The Sharks drafted Couture No. 7 overall in the 2007 NHL Draft, and he has spent the entirety of his 11-year career in San Jose. Couture was named captain ahead of last season, and he is signed through 2027.