Cousins is seizing his opportunity on the Senators’ top line

Head coach Travis Green is notorious for putting his forward lines in the blender when things aren’t working for the Ottawa Senators. When he first tried putting veteran forward Nick Cousins on the Senators' top line alongside Tim Stützle and Fabian Zetterlund, the switch turned heads and raised questions about Green's decision. Turns out, it’s working pretty well so far.

At first, calling the decision questionable was an understatement. With over a decade of NHL experience under his belt, Cousins has spent most of his career as a bottom-six, pesky forward. He’s the guy a coach sends out to get under a player’s skin or to call a player out after their team strips them of their captaincy, like Dylan Larkin. He’s not typically called on to be a top-line offensive contributor.

What Cousins brings to the Senators' top line

Cousins won’t have the offensive creativity of Stützle or Zetterlund’s powerful shot, but he brings a unique dimension to the line. He is bringing his relentless, pesky presence to the Senators’ top line, and it seems to be clicking. If Cousins can keep getting into the dirty areas, getting under his opponents’ skin, battling along the boards, and creating traffic in front of the net, he can let Stützle and Zetterlund focus on their offensive playmaking. He’s not being called on to be a point-per-game player or a 20+ goal scorer. He just needs to get the puck to centre Stützle however he can.

In tonight’s game versus the Utah Mammoth, his value on the Senators’ top line showed its worth. Cousins was doing most of what was expected of him in this top-six opportunity. He tied his season high with five hits and blocked two shots. Similarly, he was always finding himself in sneaky places to absorb contact or recover pucks. Turns out, he was in the right place at the right time to tip in the game-winning goal off a Thomas Chabot shot. 

Cousins scoring the game-winning goal in the Senators’ 4-2 win over the Mammoth will be a moment he remembers for quite some time. Interestingly, the last time Cousins scored a game-winner was November 9, 2025, against none other than the Utah Mammoth. 

That said, don’t assume Cousins should remain in the Senators’ top six or that this line combination is sustainable. Stützle is Ottawa’s most talented offensive player, and he needs linemates who can complement his puck-carrying ability, speed, and creativity. Cousins is serving a purpose in gritty games right now, but his limited offensive production will not bode well on a line with the 2020 third overall pick and a winger who has been searching for an offensive spark.

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