PuckSleuth
Nick Cousins21

Ottawa Senators · Center · Shoots L

Nick Cousins

Age 33 · 5'11" · 191 lb · Born in Belleville, CAN

Cap hit

$1.587M

1.5% of $104M cap

Term

2 yrs

Through 2027-28, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$1.374M

vs. $2.962M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

1

Goals

0

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

7:21

PP 0:00 · PK 0:43

Plus/minus

0

Hits

2

Blocks 2

PIM

0

Game Score

+0.02

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 3
@ TOR · W 3-2
000227:210:000:43——100+0.02
Apr 25
vs CAR · L 4-2
002307:180:000:00—020-1-0.18
Apr 23
vs CAR · L 2-1
010507:320:060:000-1100100+0.74
Apr 20
@ CAR · OTL 3-2
0007015:040:000:001-075000+0.10
Apr 18
@ CAR · L 2-0
0001011:490:030:00——110-0.16

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 907 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%57.2%

94th percentile

Relative xGF%+1.9

70th percentile

HDCF%62.0%

96th percentile

CF%52.2%

76th percentile

Relative CF%-0.8

41st percentile

FF%53.1%

81st percentile

GF%57.1%

82nd percentile

CF/6055.8

50th percentile

CA/6051.0

88th percentile

ixG/600.59

11th percentile

Goals above expected+0.1

59th percentile

IPP63.9%

48th percentile

PDO100.5

61st percentile

OZS%57.7%

67th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleDefensive-minded depth center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Cousins is a relentless forechecking and physical forward who wins puck battles and disrupts opponents despite limited offensive tools. He generates decent scoring chances through positioning and effort rather than playmaking or speed, making him a classic depth contributor.

GrittyForecheckingPhysicalLow-volume shooter
Shooting volume
19
Playmaking
24
Zone entries(est.)
55
Forechecking
92
Physicality
87
Defensive impact
83
Puck management
42
Speed
27

Where he shoots from

Slot 51% · Mid-range 27% · Perimeter 22%(108 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite forechecking ability at 92nd percentile drives puck recovery and pressure
  • Strong physicality and defensive impact in 80s help win matchups and transitions
  • Adequate slot shot volume at 51% shows he finds dangerous areas

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume at 19th percentile limits offensive ceiling despite decent positioning
  • Speed ranks just 27th, affecting his rush chances and transition effectiveness
  • Playmaking at 24th percentile means he rarely creates chances for others

Similar style: Jack Finley, Trent Frederic (EDM)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGPPPSHGGWGSOGS%TOIFO%GS/GP
2014-15Philadelphia Flyers11000+12000060.08:4944.2—
2015-16Philadelphia Flyers366511+5402014114.610:4446.0—
2016-17Philadelphia Flyers6061016-6311200996.112:0041.0—
2017-18Arizona Coyotes7112719-731110111910.112:5237.5—
2018-19Arizona Coyotes8172027-83513021444.913:3346.7—
2019-20Montréal Canadiens5891322+13324001058.613:2837.8—
2019-20Vegas Golden Knights7123-1211001010.013:5358.3—
2020-21Nashville Predators5251318+4410401608.313:2252.8—
2021-22Nashville Predators6891322-83134011038.712:2846.9—
2022-23Florida Panthers7991827-13800021028.811:0249.3+0.40
2023-24Florida Panthers697815+16400031116.312:1153.1+0.36
2024-25Ottawa Senators506915-1410000688.811:5414.3+0.37
2025-26Ottawa Senators8191423+89200017911.411:2546.4+0.36
2026-27Ottawa Senators100000000000.07:21—+0.02
Career13 seasons72486132218-1244592101210478.212:15—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

No news about him in the last 30 days.

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.17 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.36 per game

2025-26 · 81 GP

Season total +29.4, or +0.36 per game.

Scoring
+17.2
Shooting
+5.9
5-on-5 goals
+1.4
Defense
+1.9
Physical play
+5.4
Puck battles
-1.5
Penalties
-0.9

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed
22.1 mph
44th pct
20+ mph bursts
38
Hardest shot
86.6 mph
60th pct
Distance
156.4 mi
OZ time
44.1%
76th pct
DZ time
37.9%

Usage

Last game: @ TOR, Oct 3

Line 4 with Hayden Hodgson and Stephen Halliday (4:01 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 33: 69% of peak

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 33, forwards typically produce 69% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 34, when the typical level is 63%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

2 seasons left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27OTT$1.587M1.5%
2027-28OTT$1.587M1.4%

UFA after 2027-28. $3.175M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).