Nick Cousins agrees to entry-level contract with Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers announced on Monday evening that they've agreed to terms with 2011 third-round pick Nick Cousins to an entry-level contract. Cousins himself scooped the organization on Twitter about an hour before the official announcement, but nevertheless, he's a member of the organization and will join the Adirondack Phantoms on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of this season.

Note: We're assuming the ATO based on Cousins' tweet that he's on the way to Glens Falls. The Flyers did not mention in their release that he's signed an ATO, but that's the only way he can play in Adirondack.

Since the deal doesn't go into effect until next season, the Flyers don't have to worry about jumping over the 50 contract limit. They sit with 51 contracts at present, but Marcel Noebels' entry-level deal does not count against the limit due to the so-called "slide rule."

Cousins, 18, was drafted with the other pick that came over in last summer's Jeff Carter trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He just wrapped up his third OHL season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in which he played 65 games, put up 88 points and tallied 88 penalty minutes. He was the leading scorer on the team, which finished ninth in the OHL's 10 team Western Conference. Cousins ranked fifth in league scoring.

You probably remember Cousins from such stories as "pissing-opponents-off-so-bad-they-slash-him-in-the-gut" and "his favorite TV show is Jersey Shore." He's a center, a position at which the Flyers are deep, and we'd expect he'll need some seasoning at the AHL level before challenging for a spot with in Philadelphia. He's played U18 for Canada but is a bit small and could possibly have a bit of trouble quickly translating his game to the pro level due to his size.

It should be fun to watch hm grow as a player, and that journey begins with the Phantoms on Wednesday vs. Syracuse.