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Not pictured: Hot water (Photo: Philadelphia Flyers)

Typically, Flyers news nowadays involves an injured defenseman or a contract extension, but today brings a situation of a far more serious nature.

Prospect Nick Cousins has been charged with sexual assault in an incident that involved two teammates from the Sault Slt. Marie Greyhounds on Saturday.

Here is a sizable snippet of the media release from the Sault Slt. Marie police:

On the 25th of August 2012, three males have been charged
with an offence as to a female known to them.  Charged with sexual
assault is 19 year old Brian Nicholas Cousins of 41 Meadowvale Avenue in
Belleville, Ontario
, 19 year old Andrew Douglas Fritsch of 11 Stymie
Boulevard in Brantford, Ontario and 18 year old Mark Anthony Petaccio of
61 New Brooklyn Road in Sicklerville, New Jersey.  Brian Nicholas
Cousins and Andrew Douglas Fritsch have been scheduled for court October
1, 2012.  Mark Anthony Petaccio will appear in bail court on Monday,
August 27, 2012.

 

Cousins is widely considered as the team's top prospect, and would be a likely call-up at some point during the regular season… if there is one. He tallied 88 points in 65 games in the Ontario Hockey League last year.

The Flyers released this statement regarding the situation:

"We are aware of the unfortunate situation involving Nick Cousins. Due
to lack of info available to us, we will not comment at this time."

 

Obviously, it's hard to draw conclusions with so little factual information, but the situation doesn't spell well for Cousins or the Flyers. More to come as it becomes available.

h/t Dave Isaac, Courier Post & CB Reader Brian Smith

You can follow Ryan Gillon on Twitter @SeriouslyRyan