Sens sign Nick Cousins, Samuel Ersson to two-year contracts

Ottawa Senators center Nick Cousins, left, celebrates after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

The Ottawa Senators signed forward Nick Cousins and goaltender Samuel Ersson to two-year contracts on Wednesday.

According to a news release from the Senators organization, Cousins will be back with the club for another two seasons, earning an average of $1.59 million in each.

The 32-year-old made his NHL debut in the 2014-15 season and has played in Ottawa for the past two seasons. The Belleville, Ont. native won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024.

Last season, Cousins registered 9 goals and 14 assists in 81 games. The scrappy veteran also added 169 hits and a team-high 92 penalty minutes.

“Nick has proven his value to our hockey club over the past two seasons. He brings Stanley Cup winning experience and is an important player inside our dressing room,” Steve Staios, Ottawa Senators general manager and president of hockey operations, said in a statement.

Re-signing Cousins is the latest in a string of off-season moves from the Ottawa Senators, which included trading former captain Brady Tkachuk, acquiring forward William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks and signing defender Jordan Spence to a four-year contract extension.

Sens sign Ersson

The Ottawa Senators also reached a deal with newly acquired goaltender Samuel Ersson on Wednesday.

Last week, the Sens traded a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the rights of the Swedish netminder.

According to the team, Ersson signed a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.2 million.

“Samuel is a goaltender we identified as a good fit with our system,” Staios said. “He has a combination of NHL and international experience and has an upside that our staff is excited to work with.”

The 26-year-old has spent four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. Last season, he played in 33 games and started 29. He recorded a 0.884 save percentage and averaged 3.12 goals against.

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