A culture-type player, Cousins plays a key role in boosting team moral through a strong work ethic and a good attitude whether he’s out on the ice or cheering on teammates in between shifts.
Never shying away from a battle along the boards, Cousins fierce style of play is recognized by head coach Paul Maurice, who shared kind remarks on the veteran and his consistent efforts.
“Nick was described to me by another NHL coach as kind of jackknife,” Maurice said. “He’ll play all over the lineup, up and down because he has really, really good hands. He’s got a good sense of the game. He maximizes those things. He’s not the fastest guy in the world, but he gets around the ice. If you can get it on his stick close to the net, he usually makes good on it.”
Building off his new big-goal reputation from last year’s playoffs, Cousins came up in the clutch once again and converted when the Cats needed him most against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 6.
With time ticking away, Cousins picked up the puck in the slot and hit a far-side shot to pull the Panthers even and make it 4-4 with less than a minute left in regulation. After getting the game to overtime, Carter Verhaeghe then lit the lamp to lock down the win and a second point for Florida.
Reflecting on that goal in Columbus, Cousins said it was a boost both for himself and the team.
“Those are nice especially late in the game like that,” Cousins said. “Their D was just trying to clear the puck and I was lucky enough to grab it and it was just me and the goalie, so I picked my spot. Those types of goals are huge especially late in the period when the team needed it most. To come up big like that is huge for the confidence and a big goal at the time.”
A seasoned vet, Cousins has played in 547 games in his NHL career, registering 66 goals, 104 assists and earning 170 points. With that experience, he’s also learned over time how he can best help the team. In the end, it all comes down to helping the team and letting the other chips fall.
“I know when I’m playing well the goals will also come, but I figure as a line we are generating tons of offensive opportunities and I really like the way our team is playing,” Cousins said.
With the Panthers sitting at 15-8-3 in the standings, there’s certainly a lot to like right now.
