"We're just adjusting with whatever we have to do to help keep people safe and do our own part. Just trying to hang in there, be patient and wait until this ends for sure." he said during a media conference call on Tuesday.

Given his druthers, of course, Couturier would much prefer to be in midst of a first-round Eastern Conference playoff series right now. It's hard sometimes not to think about what might happen if and when the season resumes.

"Yeah, I think so, especially at this time of the year. It's the most fun part of the year to play hockey. Right now we can't because of the circumstances. That's life. It is what it is. For sure, before this all happened, it was pretty exciting. It was fun to be a part of. We were all kind of on the same page with our mindset and making a push in the playoffs. It's too bad what's going on," he said.

A Selke Trophy finalist two seasons ago, many pundits had Couturier pegged as the front-runner this season to win the NHL's award as the league's top defensive forward. While his offensive numbers are slightly down this season from the last two years, it has been an outstanding overall season for the player by virtually every measure.

" [The Selke] is not really something I really focus on all year. I think personally my year went really well, so did the team. Obviously, I am happy and honored just to be mentioned in the award talks. Just another year. Another year where I improved and as a team, we evolved and got better as the year went on. I kind of feel my year reflected the same as the team," he said.

One thing that has kept Couturier occupied, apart from awaiting a Green Card for his wife, has been getting ready for moving into his new house. Rather than returning to Bathurst, NB, he's remained in the Philadelphia area for the duration of the lockout to date.

"I am going up and down the stairs, doing some laundry, doing some dishes. That's my training right now," he joked.

Couturier said that, as with people from all walks of life, he feels like life itself has changed in the weeks since the NHL and other sports league have put their seasons on pause or canceled them altogether.

"Things are still changing every day. All the precautions are updating every day. It's quite different just going to the grocery store, getting some food. There are some places now where you absolutely have to wear a mask. If you don't have one, they don't let you in," he said.

Couturier is positive-minded person by nature, both on and off the ice. As such, it's not a surprise that he describes his mindset toward the prospects for a return to playing this season as one where he's "trying to be optimistic." Whatever the upcoming weeks bring, however, he'll adjust accordingly.

"That's my mindset anyway. Trying to stay in shape. If we ever start again, I'm ready as much as possible. It's kind of a weird situation, to be honest. We don't know if we are starting again. We don't know when we're starting again. We don't know if it's going to be cancelled and you prepare for next season and September." he said.

"I would lean more towards the optimistic side of things. I think guys are still believing in finishing the year, finishing the playoffs. I am not too sure how everything's going to go down. I think everyone's pretty optimistic to give out the Stanley Cup winner this year."