The Flyers announced today that Ian Laperriere will rejoin the organization as an advisor to the club’s hockey operations department.
For the last four seasons, Laperriere, 51, had served as the head coach of Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer reported last week that he wouldn’t be back in the role next season, although at the time it seemed he would look elsewhere for coaching roles with an easier pathway to an NHL job.
That changed over the weekend when Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period said Laperriere would remain with the Flyers in an off-ice capacity. The Montreal native previously served in Philly’s front office as their director of player development in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons before transitioning to coaching roles for the next decade.
Regardless, Laperriere extends his stay in the organization he’s called home since signing his last contract as a player with the Flyers in 2009. He retired in 2012 after spending his final two seasons under contract on long-term injured reserve due to lingering concussion symptoms and immediately transitioned into a front office role.
The Flyers have yet to name a replacement for Laperriere as Lehigh Valley’s head coach, but they said in today’s release that one will begin immediately.
“I want to thank Ian for his tireless work in Lehigh Valley for the last four seasons,” said general manager Daniel Brière. “He not only led the Phantoms in a return to the playoffs, but provided crucial development to several of our prospects. I am excited to welcome him back to the Flyers so he can continue to provide his insight in helping our team as we enter the next phase of the rebuild.”