Nashville Predators: Free Agents Who Shouldn’t Be Back Next Season
By Chad Minton
Cousins, 2022 UFA
2021 Cap Hit: $1.5M
Nick Cousins has spent his last two seasons with the Nashville Predators, and it hasn’t been a complete failure of a free agency addition back in October of 2020. He’s at least filled the role of bringing that phsyicality style that fits the team, but he also brought very little scoring to a team that needs it.
Cousins was on a rather cheap deal when he initially signed for just $1.5M, and I expect him to look for at least that much on the open market again. Maybe he gets even more for the right team.
The point is, the Predators need to open up their roster more for upcoming prospects, and a Cousins departure would help in that.
Cousins has never been a big offensive producer at any of his NHL stops, and it didn’t change with Nashville for two seasons. Just 40 points in 120 games.
I don’t expected Cousins back on the Predators in 2022-23. He didn’t do enough for this team in the areas that really need help in, like scoring, to get re-signed even on a short-term, cheap deal.