Predators Sign Nick Cousins to Two-Year, $3 Million Contract

Nashville, Tenn. (October 10, 2020) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/GM David Poile announced Saturday that the team has signed forward Nick Cousins to a two-year, $3 million contract.
"Nick is a versatile forward who can play up-and-down our lineup and will help add a physical element to our game every night," Poile said. "He's a reliable player in his own zone and has shown improvement offensively every year. He fits the mold of the type of player we were targeting during free agency."
Cousins, 27 (7/20/93), picked up 25 points (10g-15a) in 65 games with the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights in 2019-20. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward began the season in Montreal, posting nine goals and 22 points in 58 games with the Canadiens before being traded to Vegas, where he closed out the regular season with three points (1g-2a) in seven contests. He then appeared in another 17 postseason games for the Golden Knights, registering five assists, 22 penalty minutes and 29 hits en route to a spot in the Western Conference Final. Among the 215 NHL forwards who had at least 750 minutes of ice time in 2019-20, Cousins (765:06) had the 23rd-best 5-on-5 shots attempts for percentage of 54.8, doing so while averaging 13:31 of ice time.

Originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (68th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Cousins has skated in 324 career NHL games, recording 41 goals and 98 points. He began his career with the Flyers in 2014-15 and moved to the Arizona Coyotes three seasons later, where he established career highs in goals (12) in 2017-18 and points (27) in 2018-19. He's also competed in 184 career AHL contests across parts of five seasons, claiming a spot in the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. A native of Belleville, Ont., Cousins had a four-year stint with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from 2009-13 that was headlined by a 27-goal, 103-point season in 2012-13.