Ian Laperriere now has his assistants.
The Philadelphia Flyers announced earlier this week that Jason Smith and Riley Armstrong will fill out the coaching staff for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season. They’ll work as assistants alongside first-time head coach Ian Laperriere.
-
Ep 76: Oilers, Flames, Winter Classic Jersey, Avs, and More
by Full Press Coverage on November 23, 2023 at 6:42 am
Jim and Chris are back for another edition of Full Press Hockey Weekly to […]
Meet Jason Smith
Smith, 47, is a familiar figure for Flyers fans. A big, right-shot defenseman, he spent a season in Philadelphia late in his career, serving as captain. In 2007-08, Smith picked up 10 points and 86 penalty minutes in 77 regular-season games. In 17 playoff games, he added two more assists as the Flyers knocked off Washington and Montreal before falling to Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference Final.
Drafted 18th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1992, Smith played 1,008 career NHL games with the Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Flyers and Ottawa Senators. He was known as a physically intimidating defensive defenseman, and a strong locker-room leader.
Smith hung up his skates in 2009, as a member of the Senators. He returned to that organization three years later, spending two seasons as a scouting and development consultant. Then, he logged two years as an assistant coach, first with Paul MacLean, then beside Dave Cameron.
Swept out of the Senators organization when Cameron was let go at the end of the 2016 season, Smith shifted gears to junior hockey, taking the reins of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. He was relieved of his duties early in his third season, in the fall of 2018.
From there, Smith moved over to the Prince George Cougars, where he served as an associate coach for the past two seasons. One of the players under his charge was defenseman Ethan Samson, who was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of last month’s draft.
Meet Riley Armstrong
Armstrong, 36, is the younger brother of NHLer-turned-broadcaster Colby Armstrong.
A right-winger, Riley played just two NHL games in his career, suiting up for the San Jose Sharks during the 2008-09 season. Undrafted out of the Western Hockey League, the native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan put together a 12-year pro career with stops in the AHL, ECHL, KHL, Germany, Finland and Sweden.
Checking in at 5’11” and 187 pounds, he peaked offensively with 25 goals for the AHL’s Worcester Sharks in the 2008-09 season. Armstrong’s penalty minutes regularly eclipsed his point totals. He tallied 120 minutes in 38 games with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies in 2012-13, where he also put up 37 points.
Since hanging up his skates in 2016, Armstrong has been learning the coaching trade in the ECHL. He spent two seasons as an assistant with the Wheeling Nailers. Then, he was named head coach of the Maine Mariners at the beginning of the 2018-19 season.
In his second year, Armstrong added the title of assistant general manager to his job description. He kept that title last season, while the Mariners elected not to ice a team due to Covid-19.
In Maine, of course, Armstrong has been apprenticing under former Flyer Danny Briere, who owns the club and also serves as its general manager and vice president of hockey operations. Briere, of course, also played with Laperriere on the 2009-10 Flyers — and with Smith in the 2007-08 season. His fingerprints are all over both of these hirings.
Latest Flyers News
- New York Giants Football Legend Carl Banks Grew Up A Hockey Fan
- NHL November Outlook – Metropolitan Division
- Rangers Continue To Roll, Sweeping Weekend Games Over Flyers/Bruins
- Rangers Earn 1-0 Win Over Penguins Thanks To Jonathan Quick’s Performance In Net
- NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Bring In Veteran Execs Mike O’Connell and Nick Beverley
At the NHL level, Chuck Fletcher has tapped a pair of former NHLers and longtime executives to join his staff.
Mike O’Connell comes on board as senior advisor to the general manager/player development. Now 65, O’Connell played 860 games on defense for Chicago, Boston, and Detroit during a 13-year NHL career. After retiring in 1990, he soon re-joined the Bruins organization, where he worked his way up to general manager.
The Bruins fired O’Connell midway through the 2005-06 season. The next year, he signed on with the Los Angeles Kings, where he has worked in player development and as a development coach. His new job with the Flyers reunites him with his original boss in Los Angeles. Dean Lombardi now serves as a senior advisor to Chuck Fletcher in Philadelphia.
Beverley, 74, also has years of experience with the Kings on his resume, including during the Gretzky years. He spent nine years in the organization’s front office between 1985 and 1994. During that time, he worked his way up from scout to director of player personnel, assistant general manager and then general manager for two seasons. Also a defenseman, Beverley played 502 NHL games for six different teams through the first expansion era, between 1966 and 1980.
Beverly has spent the last 16 seasons working as a pro scout for the Nashville Predators. He’ll assume that same role for the Flyers in the 2021-22 season.
Loading...
-
Ep 76: Oilers, Flames, Winter Classic Jersey, Avs, and More
by Full Press Coverage on November 23, 2023 at 6:42 am
Jim and Chris are back for another edition of Full Press Hockey Weekly to […]
-
Ep 75: Hockey After Dark
by Full Press Coverage on November 15, 2023 at 3:12 am
Jim and Chris are back for the first edition of Full Press Hockey After […]
-
Ep 74: Drama In Ottawa, McAvoy Suspended, NHL Rumors, and More!
by Full Press Coverage on November 2, 2023 at 1:27 pm
In a jam-packed episode, Jim and Chris discuss the drama in Ottawa with […]
-
Off to Motown: Patrick Kane Signs with Detroit Red Wings
by Full Press Coverage on November 28, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Jim Biringer is back once again joined by Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey […]
-
What's on Russ's Mind: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
by Full Press Coverage on November 23, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Jim Biringer is back once again joined by Russ Cohen of Full Press Hockey, […]
-
Off To Alberta To Check On The Edmonton Oilers
by Full Press Coverage on November 19, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Jim Biringer is back once again joined by Avry Lewis-McDougall of the […]
-
Ep 87: Captain Brad Marchand, New Season Expectations, Bruins Hockey Is Back
by Full Press Coverage on October 11, 2023 at 11:10 pm
Ian and Chris return for the start of the Bruins season as they talk Brad […]
-
Ep 86: David Krejci Announces Retirement
by Full Press Coverage on August 14, 2023 at 10:28 pm
Ian and Chris react to David Krejci's retirement. Learn more about your ad […]
-
S5Ep13 - Patrick Kane Signs with Detroit Red Wings
by Jim Biringer on November 28, 2023 at 5:21 pm
Jim Biringer is back for the fifth season of the Final Word on Hockey in a […]
-
S5Ep12 - Time For William Nylander To Get Paid
by Jim Biringer on November 19, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Jim Biringer is back for the fifth season of the Final Word on Hockey […]
-
Avalanche at Ducks - Canucks at Flames - Capitals at Golden Knights
by Broken Controller Media on December 2, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Hunter Logan Previews Avalanche at Ducks, Canucks at Flames, Capitals at […]
-
Sabres at Hurricanes - Red Wings at Canadiens - Kraken at Senators
by Broken Controller Media on December 2, 2023 at 4:10 pm
Hunter Logan Previews Sabres at Hurricanes, Red Wings at Canadiens, Kraken […]
-
Lightning at Stars - Blackhawks at Jets - Rangers at Predators - Islanders at Panthers
by Broken Controller Media on December 2, 2023 at 4:05 pm
Hunter Logan Previews Lightning at Stars, Blackhawks at Jets, Rangers at […]
-
Episode #147: Sloppy October Is Over?
by Full Press Coverage on November 2, 2023 at 8:37 pm
On this edition of The Calder Farmstead, Sean and Sarah finish out the […]
-
Episode #146: Spooky Luck
by Full Press Coverage on October 27, 2023 at 4:09 pm
On this episode of The Calder Farmstead, Mr. Anderson (Sean) and Tina […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 828
by Charlie Saunier on December 1, 2023 at 6:59 pm
Ep 828 The Renegades Of Puck Recap 6-1 L Vs Wild Preview Rangers & […]
-
Full Press Islanders - 12-1 - Take the 2 points and run
by Full Press Coverage on December 1, 2023 at 4:55 pm
Last night wasn't pretty but they found a way to win and that's what […]
-
Full Press Hurricanes - 12-1 - Carolina Falls 5-4 in Overtime Against the Islanders.
by Full Press Coverage on December 1, 2023 at 4:30 pm
The Hurricanes thoroughly outshot the New York Islanders 43-16, but the […]
-
Leafs Digest - 12-1 - MASSIVE Trade Incoming? - Trade Reports INTENSIFYING
by BCM on December 1, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Nick Gosse and Darius Domingues break down recent reports highlighting […]
-
Full Press Kraken - 12-1 - Shootout loss, Maple Leafs, Marner
by Full Press Coverage on December 1, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Recapping the shootout loss to Toronto. Learn more about your ad choices. […]
-
Full Press Wild - 12-1 - Recapping a dominating Wild win over the predators.
by Full Press Coverage on December 1, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Win, Nashville, domination, Connor Dewar. Learn more about your ad […]
-
12/1 - NFL MVP, Week 13 Picks
by Full Press Coverage on December 3, 2023 at 2:18 am
Ian and John discuss the ever-changing MVP race and give their predictions […]
-
11/28 - MNF Reaction, State Of The NFL
by Full Press Coverage on November 30, 2023 at 3:49 am
Ian and John react to Monday Night Football and discuss more of the state […]
-
11/27 - Thanksgiving Recap; Jalen Hurts, NFL News and Notes
by Full Press Coverage on November 27, 2023 at 10:43 pm
Ian and John recap Thanksgiving weekend, discuss Jalen Hurts' moment, and […]
-
11/24 - Thanksgiving Recap, Jets/Dolphins, Week 12 Picks
by Full Press Coverage on November 24, 2023 at 3:47 pm
Ian and John react to all of the action on Thanksgiving Day and look ahead […]
-
12/1 - NFL MVP, Week 13 Picks
by Full Press Coverage on December 3, 2023 at 2:18 am
Ian and John discuss the ever-changing MVP race and give their predictions […]
-
Ep 193: Ayako Hamada
by Full Press Coverage on December 2, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Ayako Hamada has had a wide and varied career through AAA, SHIMMER, TNA, […]
-
Ep. 262 - The In Season Tournament is Going Better Than Anyone Expected
by Full Press Coverage on December 1, 2023 at 12:56 am
Jet and Sap share their thoughts now that group play is over with in the […]
-
Ep 198: Week 13 vs Chiefs
by Full Press Coverage on November 30, 2023 at 8:20 pm
In this episode, co-hosts Kyle Senra and Jesse Hall are joined by Braden […]
-
Ep 316: Week 13 Fantasy Football Preview
by Full Press Coverage on November 30, 2023 at 4:08 am
In this episode, Kyle Serna and Brad Harvin provide a survival guide for […]
-
11/28 - MNF Reaction, State Of The NFL
by Full Press Coverage on November 30, 2023 at 3:49 am
Ian and John react to Monday Night Football and discuss more of the state […]
-
Ep 180: Hall of Fame Class Of 2024 Semifinalists Discussion
by Full Press Coverage on November 28, 2023 at 7:02 pm
Ira and Clark dissect the 2024 Hall of Fame class semifinalists. Learn […]
-
Ep 197: Recapping Weeks 11 & 12
by Full Press Coverage on November 27, 2023 at 11:26 pm
This episode is a double-dip in a good way. Kyle Senra and Jesse Hall […]