The Syracuse Orange have a veteran lineup returning, and they have a new veteran head coach at the helm in Brian Idalski. Can the new mix set Syracuse up for a winning season?
Brian Idalski left St. Cloud following the 2024-25 NCAA season to take over as head coach of the inaugural Vancouver Goldeneyes roster in the PWHL. Things didn't go as planned for the first year PWHL club or coach, resulting in them parting ways this offseason.
But Idalski, a seasons coach at the NCAA and pro ranks, wasn't on the market long being hired as the new head coach for Czechia's women's national team, and then Syracuse University's women's program.
Only a few short months after his PWHL season ended on the West Coast, Idalski is coaching in Atlantic Hockey America, and back on the ice with Syracuse.
"I enjoyed my time in the PWHL. It's a different animal, and the expansion experience was something that I learned a lot from," said Idalski.
Idalski already has ten seasons of NCAA head coaching experience with North Dakota and St. Cloud State, he coached three seasons of professional women's hockey in China, and another in the PWHL.
While he enjoyed his time at the pro levels, he's excited for the opportunity to be back in NCAA women's hockey, where he knows the excitement and drive he's about to encounter for another chapter of his career.
"There's something about college athletics, and the hunger, and the desire, and the work ethic, and the fact that now all these players have designs on playing at the next level, and playing professional, and making a career out of it," Idalski said. "With some of the experiences I've had, I feel pretty good about helping them get to those levels, and what does that look like, and what are the habits and things that players are doing at that level that make them successful. Being back in college, honestly, in the short time we've been back feels pretty good."
Syracuse is returning the strength of their roster from last season including their top six forwards from last season. They're also adding Kerttu Lehmus, a former Finnish U-18 national team member who played at Merrimack last season. Syracuse will also be looking for big things from sophomore starter Ava Drabyk. As a rookie last season, Drabyk started 34 games posting a 2.38 GAA, .922 save percentage, and five shutouts.
Syracuse opens their season with a pair of non-conference games against Stonehill on September 25 and 26 before travelling to Mercyhurst to open their AHA campaign the following weekend.
Syracuse has built a stronger schedule this season with a number of out of conference match ups including facing Clarkson, Colgate, Union, and RPI.
