Ian Laperrière will not return as Head Coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the 2025-26 season, as announced by multiple sources on May 21, 2025.
After four seasons leading the Phantoms, Laperrière’s tenure saw the team reach the Calder Cup Playoffs in the last two seasons, including a first-round sweep of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2024 and 2025. Despite a two-year contract extension signed in June 2024, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Phantoms’ NHL affiliate, has decided to seek a new voice for their AHL team, but he hadn’t been fired.
Laperrière, who has been with the Flyers organization since 2009 as a player, development coach, assistant coach, and Phantoms head coach, has not been fired but is expected to transition to a different role within the organization. His record with the Phantoms was 98-92-30 over 220 games, and he was praised for developing prospects like Tyson Foerster, Cam York, and Sam Ersson. The decision reflects the Flyers’ desire for a fresh approach at the AHL level to further their development pipeline.
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