Logan Couture, who is Canadian, says he was sucker-punched in Toronto for supporting GOP

Zac Al-Khateeb

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Logan Couture, who is Canadian, says he was sucker-punched in Toronto for supporting GOP image

Sharks captain Logan Couture claims he was sucker-punched in Toronto on Tuesday night after he expressed support for the GOP in the 2020 U.S. election.

The 31-year-old, who is entering his 11th season in the league, tweeted about the supposed incident early Wednesday. He said a potential factor in getting punched may have been that he mentioned presidential incumbent Donald Trump by name:

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Couture — who was born in southern Ontario, is a Canadian citizen and is ineligible to vote in any U.S. election — provided more context in several replies to his original tweet. He clarified that he mentioned his father was a police officer and that he'd vote Republican in 2020 "if I could."

There's a lot to unpack in Couture's reasoning for his alleged sucker-punch, much of which ties to a tumultuous political landscape. Some of that includes Trump himself, who has been a divisive political figure throughout his four-year term. A flurry of national protests against police brutality has also brought issues of racial injustice and systemic racism to the forefront of the 2020 election.

Several people questioned the veracity of Couture's story after his original tweet, prompting him to defend himself and his account multiple times. Many asked him to provide photo evidence of the punch, or asked whether he called police or intended to file a report. One person in particular seemingly criticized Couture's hypocrisy, responding with an earlier tweet in which he spoke out against racism. The Republican party, particularly Trump, has been widely criticized for insensitivity toward social justice issues, particularly related to race.

Couture responded by saying he doesn't vote and never liked Trump.

Couture also said he learned to never speak about politics again — at least publicly.

Later in the day, according to The Athletic's Kevin Kurz, the Sharks organization released a statement noting that they were aware of the incident.

Couture also tweeted out a statement in an attempt to clarify his earlier tweet: "Bringing politics to my platform is wrong. 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. 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."

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.