Organizational Shift for the Philadelphia Flyers
In a significant organizational shift, the Philadelphia Flyers have announced that Ian Laperriere, the head coach of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, will be moving to a position as an advisor in Hockey Operations for the Flyers. This change comes as the team embarks on the search for a new head coach for the Phantoms immediately.
Laperriere’s Coaching Journey
Laperriere had recently signed a two-year contract extension in June 2024 that was expected to keep him with the Phantoms through the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. Having started his journey with the Flyers as the director of player development in the 2012-13 season, Laperriere moved up to an assistant coach role the following season. He stayed in that position until the end of the 2020-21 season before taking over the Phantoms’ head coaching position.
Over his four-year tenure at Lehigh Valley, he managed to lead the team to two Calder Cup playoff berths and achieved a record of 134 wins, 120 losses, and 38 overtime losses.
Future Aspirations and Playing Career
The Montreal native, now 51 years old, has long harbored ambitions of coaching at the NHL level and will now focus on nurturing the Flyers’ future talent in his new capacity. His playing career was notable for his aggressive style, garnering him 121 goals and 336 points over 1,083 games, alongside a staggering 1,956 penalty minutes.
His time with the Flyers was cut short due to an injury received from a slapshot.
Stay Updated
Fans can stay updated on further developments by visiting The Hockey News’ dedicated Flyers site, as well as the AHL page for in-depth news and exclusive content.
