John Snowden was named Head Coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Flyers, on July 14, 2025. The 43-year-old, who served as an Assistant Coach for the Phantoms for the past two seasons, replaces Ian Laperrière, who transitioned to an advisory role with the Flyers’ hockey operations.
Snowden becomes the fifth head coach in Lehigh Valley history and the 12th in the franchise’s history since its inception as the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1996, “I’m honored to be named the next head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms,” Snowden said yesterday. “I’d like to thank Keith, Danny, Alyn and Rob and Jim Brooks for this opportunity. It’s an exciting time to lead this group with the talent the Flyers have in their prospect pool. I look forward to building on the foundation that’s been laid and continuing to help our young players grow and succeed.”
His coaching experience includes two seasons as an Assistant with the Toronto Marlies (2021-2023) and a stint as Head Coach of the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers (2018-2020), where he led the team to a Kelly Cup championship in 2019. Snowden began his coaching career with the Orlando Solar Bears (2015-2018) and has a background as a professional player, logging 986 games, primarily in the ECHL and CHL, with 236 goals and 271 assists.
“We’re excited to have John along with Nick and Terrence lead the Phantoms,” Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere says. “This is an important time for our organization with the young talent we have coming through the pipeline, and we believe this group has the right mix of experience, teaching ability, and leadership to guide our prospects. Their impact in Lehigh Valley will be a big part of our long-term success.”
Joining Snowden are Assistant Coaches Nick Schultz, a 15-year NHL veteran entering his first season as a professional coach, and Terrence Wallin, who served as head coach of the ECHL’s Maine Mariners for three seasons, leading them to playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024.
This is a big season coming for the Phantoms. They are littered with young talents, with the likes of Denver Barkey, Oliver Bonk, possibly Devin Kaplan and Karsen Dorwart. It will be interesting to see how this team fares in the future.
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