Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced Friday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year US$1-million contract with free-agent forward Nick Cousins.
Cousins, who is 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, posted 7-20-27 totals in 81 games last season with the Arizona Coyotes and had a minus-8 rating while averaging 13:33 of ice time and winning 46.7 per cent of his faceoffs.
The 25-year-old was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (68th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. In 259 career regular-season games, the Belleville, Ont., native has 31-42-73 totals. During his final season of junior with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds in 2012-13, Cousins posted 27-76-103 totals in 64 games.
With the signing of Cousins, the Canadiens have 25 players under contract with $7.469 million of salary-cap space, according to CapFriendly.com.
The three Canadiens restricted free agents — forwards Artturi Lehkonen, Joel Armia and Charles Hudon — were among 40 NHL players on Friday who elected to go to salary arbitration.
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