Sunday, August 26, 2012

Flyers prospect Cousins, teammate from New Jersey arrested

Considering NHL prospects are for the most part teenagers left to their own vices away from home while with their junior hockey clubs, the Flyers haven't seemed to be associated with many legal problems with their prospects over the years.
They have one now.
Late Saturday night, three members of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds were arrested and charged with sexual assault. Among them was Nick Cousins, one of the top forward prospects in the Flyers' organization and a third-round draft pick of the club in 2011.
"We are aware of the unfortunate situation involving Nick Cousins," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said in a statement Sunday. "Due to lack of information available to us, we will not comment at this time."
According to a report filed by the Sault Ste. Marie police, Brian Nicholas Cousins, 19, of Belleville, Ont., was arrested with teammate and Phoenix Coyotes prospect Andrew Douglas Fritsch of Brantford, Ont., also 19.
Also arrested was an 18-year-old teammate of theirs, Mark Anthony Petaccio, who is reported to be a native of Sicklerville, N.J. but has no connection to the Flyers.
Police said the female victim of the assault was known to them.
Petaccio is scheduled to appear in bail court there Monday, while the two 19-year-olds have a scheduled court hearing Oct. 1.
The following is a statement released by the Greyhounds:
"Over the course of time that each of these players has been part of our program we have seen each of them make excellent strides both on and off the ice. The strides made over each young man's tenure here are what makes today's situation so surprising.
"Our hockey club will continue to perform our duty in supporting the three members of our team as they go through the legal process. Our hockey club will now allow the legal process to run its due course at this time..."

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Flyers reportedly extend Simmonds

According to a report on TSN in Canada, the Flyers have agreed with Wayne Simmonds on a six-year contract extension worth in the neighborhood of $24 million. The deal would apparently begin after next season, the final year of a two-year, $3.5 million pact Simmonds signed after being shipped to Philly by the L.A. Kings in the Mike Richards trade.
Simmonds, 23, had 28 goals and 49 points, both career best totals, last season with the Flyers. He discovered a niche by camping out in front of opposing goalies during power plays, resulting in 11 man-advantage goals for him.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Offseason still taking toll on Flyers' defense


A report in a Swedish newspaper has Flyers deep-sub defenseman Andreas Lilja out perhaps until December after hip surgery. The report said Lilja was belatedly diagnosed with a degenerative hip condition and had to undergo the surgery.
Lilja, 37, has one year left on his contract at a salary of $700,000 with a slightly inflated cap hit.
His surgery is the latest in a string of stresses on the Flyers' defensive corps, which lost Matt Carle in free agency and will be without both Chris Pronger and Andrej Meszaros to injuries.
But hey ... there might be a healthy lockout ahead to give everybody a little relief.