Cousins signed a 2-year deal with the Panthers last summer
One of the most consistent and steady players on the Florida Panthers roster doesn’t get a whole lot of attention.
That’s just fine with Nick Cousins.
The former 2011 third-round pick has become the consummate professional during his nine years in the NHL.
He’s reliable and steady as a player, and he’s great to work with from a coaching standpoint.
“He just kind of fits into a bunch of different situations,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice.
Between Cousins’ versatility on the ice, his overall durability and his hard-working mentality, it’s not hard to see how he’s carved out an everyday spot for himself in Florida’s lineup.
“I think I just approach every day with a certain focus,” said Cousins. “There's so many things that can happen during the season that's out of your control.”
One element of the game that a player generally has little say in is who they skate with. Linemates can change from one game, or one shift, to the next.
Cousins wants to keep his game steady and dependable regardless of who he’s playing alongside.
“I just try and be consistent as possible,” he said. “I think individually this year has probably been my most consistent season so far. I just try to approach every day and find that consistency and be the reliable veteran player that I know I can be.”
Just like with Cousins himself, there is an element to both his success and that of several of his teammates that does not get much attention.
Cousins sang the praises of Panthers assistant coaches Jamie Kompon and Tuomo Ruutu, who work primarily with the forwards.
“They have been really approachable and really easy to work with, whether that's (watching) video or just certain one-on-one conversations that they see about my game and think they can help,” Cousins said.
The time and effort Kompon and Ruutu have given individually with Florida’s forwards has been invaluable, particularly in a season in which everyone has been working to learn and master a different system from a new head coach.
It’s something Maurice said he had in mind when filling out his staff after being hired last summer.
“The assistant coaches have done a marvelous job here developing individual players,” said Maurice.
There is a flip side to that coin though.
As much as Florida’s coaching staff has put in the hours with their players, Cousins has been a model player to coach, dedicating himself to understanding exactly what is expected of him and providing that game in and game out.
“He's got kind of an unusual game,” Maurice said. “He's a bit of a gritty fourth line guy, but he's got some hands on him. There's some skill there that allows him to blend into different lines and each position.”
It’s that skill, combined with a consistent work ethic and an overall good attitude, that has made Cousins a staple of Florida’s grinding bottom six.
In terms of his role, Cousins has received detailed guidance from Maurice on what he wants and how he wants it.
An open line of communication with the coaching staff only makes it easier for Cousins to bring his particular brand of hockey, night in and night out.
“(Maurice) has done a good job of being really, really clear of what he wants from me,” Cousins said. “I've just really been trying to approach that every day and be really consistent, and I think it's really worked out well, no matter who I'm playing with.”
Cousins signed a two-year, $2.2 million deal with the Panthers last summer, so solidifying his role with the coaching staff and earning their trust as a reliable guy will only help him remain a key cog in Florida’s mechanics during year two.
Away from the rink, settling down for a while in South Florida also has its perks, especially when you’re from a colder part of the world.
Cousins and his wife Nina, who both hail from Ontario, Canada, set up shop in Parkland, where they enjoy a nice, relaxing life with their 9-month-old daughter Harper.
Every morning at 8 a.m. the three of them take a walk, and when they find time for a night out together, Bluefin Sushi is a family favorite.
When he’s not traveling, though, Cousins said he prefers jumping in the kitchen and preparing meals for the family himself.
“I really enjoy cooking in the house because on the road, we’re always eating out,” he said.
As nice as it would be for Cousins to spend more time in the kitchen and with his family, right now the goal is to keep busy with hockey as long as possible.
Florida is in the home stretch of the regular season and desperately trying to reach the postseason.
With five games left on the schedule, every game is a playoff game for the Panthers.
It’s an area Cousins feels he can add something to give his team a boost.
“In a playoff run like this, it’s probably going to come down to the last couple games,” he said. “I’ve been in those high-pressure situations, I’ve been to the Conference Finals, I’ve been in that atmosphere where you have to come ready to play.”