Photo Credit: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have officially announced their coaching staff to join the ranks of Head Coach Ian Laperrière. Former Flyers Captain Jason Smith and Riley Armstrong will be the new Assistant Coaches with Laperrière. Here’s all you need to know about the new coaches.
Jason Smith
Smith spent parts of the last four seasons in the Western Hockey League. He was an associate coach of the Prince George Cougars from 2019-21, to which he coached Flyers sixth round draft pick Ethan Samson this past season. In addition, Smith was the Head Coach of the Kelowna Rockets for parts of three seasons from 2016-17 to the start of the 2018-19 season.
Formerly, Smith was part of the scouting and development consultant for the Ottawa Senators prior to the 2012-13 season and served as an associate coach of the Senators prior to the 2014-15 season.
Riley Armstrong
Armstrong joins the ranks of the Phantoms after spending the last two seasons as Head Coach of the ECHL’s Maine Mariners in 2018-19 and 2019-20 (Suspended the 2020-21 season due to Covid). He was named the first Head Coach in Mariners history in February of 2018, and was promoted to Assistant General Manager of the Mariners the following season (2019-20).
A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Armstrong was an assistant coach for the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL from 2016-17 to 2017-18.
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