Berube will coach the Phantoms

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren announced yesterday that Craig Berube has been named head coach of the Phantoms, the Flyers' American Hockey League affiliate.

He also announced that Joe Mullen and Jack McIlhargey have been named assistant coaches for the Flyers, that Kjell Samuelsson was named associate coach for the Phantoms, and that Neil Little will join the Phantoms as goaltending coach.

"Adding Jack McIlhargey and Joe Mullen to the Flyers' staff gives [head coach] John [Stevens] experience and knowledge from the offensive and the defensive end," Holmgren said.

Berube, 41, returns to the Phantoms after serving as their head coach for the first six games of the 2006-07 season. He compiled a 3-2-1 record before being named an assistant coach for the Flyers on Oct. 23.

McIlhargey, 55, most recently served as a professional scout for the Vancouver Canucks and has served the Canucks in a variety of roles over the last two decades. He did two seven-season stints as an assistant coach for the Canucks (1984-85 through 1990-91 and 1999-2000 through 2005-06) and was head coach of the Canucks' top minor-league affiliate for eight seasons in Milwaukee, Hamilton and Syracuse (1991-92 through 1998-99).

McIlhargey played eight seasons in the NHL with the Flyers, Vancouver and Hartford Whalers.

Mullen, 50, joins the Flyers after serving as an assistant coach with the Phantoms last season. McIlhargey and Mullen join Terry Murray and Reggie Lemelin as assistant coaches for the Flyers.

Samuelsson will return for his eighth season with the Phantoms as associate coach. Little, 35, retired from professional hockey after the 2005-06 season, concluding a 12-year career that included 10 seasons with the Flyers' AHL affiliates in Hershey and Philadelphia.