PuckSleuth
21Cap hit
$1.587M
1.5% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.373M
vs. $2.961M 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
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 @ TOR · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7:21 | 0:00 | 0:43 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.02 |
| Apr 25 vs CAR · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7:18 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -0.18 |
| Apr 23 vs CAR · L 2-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7:32 | 0:06 | 0:00 | 0-1 | 100 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.74 |
| Apr 20 @ CAR · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 15:04 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.10 |
| Apr 18 @ CAR · L 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11:49 | 0:03 | 0:00 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | -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
94th percentile
70th percentile
96th percentile
76th percentile
41st percentile
81st percentile
82nd percentile
50th percentile
88th percentile
11th percentile
59th percentile
48th percentile
61st percentile
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.
- 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
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | Philadelphia Flyers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 10:59 | 59.5 |
| 2019-20 | Vegas Golden Knights | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0.0 | 13:17 | 36.7 |
| 2020-21 | Nashville Predators | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 25.0 | 17:21 | 20.0 |
| 2021-22 | Nashville Predators | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 12:22 | — |
| 2022-23 | Florida Panthers | 21 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 7.7 | 14:26 | 41.4 |
| 2023-24 | Florida Panthers | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.0 | 8:42 | — |
| 2024-25 | Ottawa Senators | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 9:20 | 50.0 |
| 2025-26 | Ottawa Senators | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 10:26 | 50.0 |
| Career | 8 seasons | 72 | 4 | 12 | 16 | -7 | 64 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 75 | 5.3 | 12:25 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
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
2026-27, as of Oct 5
- Top speed
- 18.9 mph
- 2nd pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- —
- Distance
- 1.2 mi
- OZ time
- 30.6%
- 1st pct
- DZ time
- 51.7%
Usage
Last 1 game this season
Line 4 with Hayden Hodgson and Stephen Halliday (4:01 together per game at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.
Age curve
At 33: 69% of peak
NHL forwards · production index
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
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | OTT | $1.587M | 1.5% |
| 2027-28 | OTT | $1.587M | 1.4% |
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).