Nick Cousins Joins Brady Tkachuk, Signs with Ottawa Senators

Nick Cousins will not be with the Florida Panthers anymore, but he is not going too far away as he remains in the Atlantic Division with the Ottawa Senators.

Cousins, who signed a one-year deal with the Senators, will join captain Brady Tkachuk in Ottawa after spending the past two seasons with Matthew.

The Panthers apparently did not make an offer to the free agent forward after his two-year contract expired following Florida’s Stanley Cup championship.

Nick Cousins is the latest Florida forward to move on — joining Vladimir Tarasenko (Detroit), Ryan Lomberg (Calgary), and Kevin Stenlund (Utah).

Steven Lorentz remains a free agent; Kyle Okposo is expected to retire.

Celebrate FHN’s 4th Anniversary with $10 Off a Yearly Subscription!

Use GEORGE10 at Checkout

And Subscribe to Florida Hockey Now Today!

Ottawa will be the seventh team for Cousins, who came to the Panthers as a free agent in 2022 after spending two seasons with Nashville.

Originally drafted by the Flyers, Nick Cousins also played for Arizona, Montreal, Vegas, Nashville and the Panthers.

In his first season with the Panthers, Cousins scored nine goals in 79 games.

This past season, Cousins was limited to 69 games after sustaining a concussion after being boarded against the wall in a retaliatory hit from Jason Zucker.

That led to Kevin Bieksa going on a rant against Cousins during Hockey Night in Canada — one in which he called Cousins “dirty” and “a rat.”

Cousins and Zucker fought the next time they played.

“We love that guy,” coach Paul Maurice said of Cousins. “And it was hurtful earlier in the year for everybody when they went after him in the media a little bit for the way he plays. I just don’t see it.

“I don’t think Nick has ever had more than 41 penalty minutes [in a season] so I think it was overkill, to say the least.”

Cousins, during the Panthers’ Stanley Cup parade, wore a ‘I Hate Bieksa’ t-shirt until he stripped it off during his celebrations with the fans.

Nick Cousins takes to the streets of Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup celebration. // Photo by @JCRuizPhoto

He also got into an altercation with former Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson during a game in Columbus.

“I said this before, but I’ve never been suspended, so I have a pretty clean record,’’ Cousins said.

“My highest penalty minutes is 44 or whatever. I don’t even know what it is. But I think the reputation is unfair, for sure. I don’t view myself as a dirty player, maybe I had a couple of reckless hits this year, but I don’t think the reputation is warranted at all.”

In his two years with the Panthers, Cousins played throughout the lineup and was on the second line during Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2023.

“It’s something I’ve done throughout my career,” said Cousins, who played in 12 playoff games this past year.

“I’ve been put all over the lineup. I can play left-wing or right-wing. I’ve had success with Benny and Chucky, and obviously, we have so much depth this year that wherever they need me, it’s usually where I slot. It really benefits when guys can play all over the lineup. We have lots of guys like that here.”

More FHN Coverage of the Stanley Cup Champion Panthers:

• Like our Facebook Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @GeorgeRichards // @TheGovMan
• Subscribe to the FHN YouTube Channel
• Visit the FHN Cup Champions Team Shop at RedBubble

UP NEXT FOR THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

• NHL Free Agency: Opened July 1
• Nashville Predators Rookie Showcase: Sept. 13-16
• Florida Panthers Training Camp, Fort Lauderdale: Starts Sept. 19
• Florida Panthers Preseason: Sept. 22-Oct. 5
• Florida Panthers Opening Night/Banner Unveiling: Oct. 8 vs. Bruins (ESPN)