Senators sign Eller, Cousins to one-year deals

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OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators signed forwards Lars Eller and Nick Cousins to one-year contracts on the opening day of NHL free agency Tuesday.

Eller joins the Senators on a US$1.25-million deal after producing six goals and nine assists in 63 games with the Washington Capitals last season.

The 36-year-old centre from Denmark will play for his sixth franchise after previous stints in St. Louis, Montreal, Colorado and Pittsburgh.

Cousins re-signed on a $825,000 contract after recording 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 50 regular-season games for Ottawa in 2024-25.

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He also suited up in five of six games during the team’s first-round appearance against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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The 31-year-old had signed a one-year, $800,000 deal to join the Senators last summer after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2023-24.

Cousins was a third-round pick (68th overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.

The five-foot-11, 186-pound centre has amassed 195 points (77 goals, 118 assists) in 642 career games having also spent time in Arizona, Montreal, Vegas and Nashville.

The Senators did not retain goalie Anton Forsberg and defenceman Dennis Gilbert.

Forsberg signed a two-year, $4.5-million contract with the Los Angeles Kings a day after Ottawa inked 22-year-old goalie Leevi Merilainen to a one-year extension. Merilainen will backup Linus Ullmark next season.

Gilbert, who joined the Senators from the Buffalo Sabres in the Dylan Cozens-Josh Norris swap at last season’s deadline, put pen to paper on a one-year, $875,000 deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2025.