Nick Cousins didn’t have to spend long wondering where he’d be playing next season. The Senators locked him up on a two-year, $3.18 million deal just before free agency opened, and for Cousins, the timing mattered as much as the money.
On Monday’s Coming In Hot podcast, Cousins said the quick resolution took a load off his shoulders.
"It was nice to just kind of get it out of the way," Cousins said. "I wasn't sure what was going to happen there.
I think they were kind of waiting to see what was happening with G (Claude Giroux). And then, yeah, I got the call late, just before free agency.
My agent kind of laid out all the details and stuff and I was super happy to get it done."
For a player who has already worn the sweater of seven NHL teams, the security of a second year carried real weight.
"To get two years was huge for my family," Cousins said. "And you've kind of been bounced around. And to get that kind of security, get it out of the way, enjoy summer, get back to training and just focus on hockey was huge for me."
He also didn’t sugarcoat how draining the process can be, especially when a young family is part of the equation.
"Yeah, it is pretty nerve-wracking," he said. "I don't think a lot of people even talk about that part of it, I think, especially for a guy like myself.
To be honest, it's nice having kids, because it kind of keeps you busy and kind of keeps your mind off it. But I mean, it's always in the back of your mind."
"You kind of don't know what's going to happen. And you never really know what they're thinking."
The Senators had reasons to want him back beyond just continuity. After trading Brady Tkachuk and then waiting to see whether Claude Giroux would return, Ottawa wasn’t eager to lose another veteran voice from the room.
Cousins also gave them one of the better seasons of his NHL career, finishing with 9 goals and 23 points. A big part of that came from his time alongside Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio, a stretch that helped form one of Ottawa’s steadiest lines.
"I thought when I was playing with Pints and Ammo, it just kind of-- when you're playing against the best players on the other team, like match-up-wise, it kind of just forces you to be at your best," Cousins said.
The Senators aren’t asking Cousins to replace Tkachuk’s offense. What they do need is the same edge, the same reliability, and a veteran presence that helps steady the lineup after a summer of change.
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