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Cousins matched his career high in points with 27 through 79 games last season. He also tacked on 87 hits, 102 shots on goal and 38 PIM. He's rarely played above the third line in his career, and with the talent on the Panthers' roster, he's more often stuck in a fourth-line role, though he also occasionally factors in on the power play. With a point every three games seemingly his ceiling, there's not a whole lot to like with Cousins' situation entering 2023-24. Fantasy managers would likely be better off looking for depth forwards elsewhere.
Cousins chipped in five goals and 13 assists in 52 games while logging third-line minutes for the Predators last season. The 28-year-old recorded four helpers on the power play -- he's often received at least second-unit time with the man advantage in all five of his NHL stops. The Ontario native has the potential for 25 points and 100 hits over a full campaign. While not impressive numbers, he's essentially guaranteed to play regularly, which makes him a reliable depth option in deeper fantasy formats. Consider the power-play production a small bonus from an unexpected source, while he can also be dropped for a forward on a hot streak in season without much consequence.
Cousins joined the Predators on a two-year deal after collecting 25 points in 65 games split between Vegas and Montreal last year. The 27-year-old has frequently been a solid depth scorer in a bottom-six role, but he's had trouble sticking with one team, as the Predators will be his fourth franchise in the last three years. A natural center, Cousins projects to start the year on the wing with Erik Haula and Brad Richardson also joining the Predators in the offseason. Cousins should end up around 20 points in the shortened 56-game campaign, and he'll add decent hit totals. He's also been a modest power-play producer in his previous stops, but it's unclear if he'll feature on the man advantage in Nashville.
Cousins took a step forward with seven goals and 27 points in 81 games last year with the Coyotes, adding 115 hits and 144 shots on goal. The career year on offense wasn't enough for the Coyotes to resign him, however, and he latched on with the Canadiens on a one-year deal. The 26-year-old projects as a physical, bottom-six center who hasn't shown much in the way of offense. He'll likely have a battle for playing time on his hands with Matthew Peca and Philip Varone challenging for fourth-line roles, as well. Cousins shot only 4.9 percent last year, which should increase, but a drop in helpers should see him land around 20 points again.
Cousins parted ways with the Flyers and secured a two-year standard contract with the Coyotes in July 2017. Acting the part of a pest, he'd finish with 117 hits, 39 blocked shots and 31 PIM over 71 games last season. His offensive contributions -- including 12 goals and 19 points -- look vanilla from a fantasy hockey standpoint, though Cousins gets a free pass since he started roughly 60 percent of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone after mainly being situated in the attacking area during his three-year tenure with Philadelphia. If that trend continues, there won't be enough chances for him to make a tangible impact in either DFS or season-long settings.
Dealt by the Flyers to Arizona over the summer, Cousins will look for a fresh start with his new franchise, and it merits mentioning that he’s only 24 years old with a sterling track record in the AHL that includes point-per-game production over 38 contests only two years ago. However, he never found a steady role in Philadelphia, managing just 26 points in 107 games over three seasons while mostly playing fourth-line minutes. Unfortunately, he's again set to face an uphill climb for ice time, as the Coyotes have decent depth at center.
Entering his second full season in AHL Adirondack, Cousins looks to show Flyers' brass that he has the ability to make an impact in the NHL. With only 29 points in his rookie season in the AHL, he was less than impressive -- perhaps his size (5-11) may be holding him back from playing the same gritty game that was successful for him in junior. At 21, he's still building strength and maturing his game to be able to play among the best. He's probably at least a year away from being ready for significant time in the NHL and that's not taking into account the fact he's behind a number of individuals on the Flyer depth chart.
Cousins has improved in each of his three seasons in the OHL, finishing third in points (103) last season. He played well despite looming sexual assault charges, which were eventually dropped last April. The 20-year-old will likely spend this season polishing his skills in the AHL, but could be an interesting late-round pick in keeper leagues.
This 19-year-old playmaker saw his first AHL minutes last year in one contest with Adirondack, but Cousins posted no points in the game. Although he may have fantasy potential in the future, he won’t make a splash in the 2012-13 season. Cousins did produce in juniors, posting 88 points in 65 games during last season with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL. Keep an eye on him.
