Sources: Vancouver's Brian Idalski Likely To Take Over As Czechia's Head Coach

There's change coming at the top of Czechia's women's national team. Hired in 2022, Carla MacLeod led Czechia through multiple World Championship tournaments winning the nations first two bronze medals, and also coached Czechia at the 2026 Olympics.

MacLeod however, will not return as Czechia's head coach, instead choosing to focus on her health after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2025, and her role in North America. 

In her place, Czechia honed in on other PWHL coaches, and according to sources, Czechia's women's national team is set to name Vancouver Goldeneyes' head coach Brian Idalski as their next bench boss.

Idalski has 25 years experience as a head coach in women's hockey. He started with the head coaching role at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at the NCAA Division III level, before spending 10 seasons as the NCAA Division 1 head coach at the University of North Dakota before the program folded.

Idalski later coached overseas with China's KRS Vanke Rays, and guided China's women's national team at the 2022 Olympics.

Beginning in 2022, Idalski moved back to the NCAA where he served as head coach at St. Cloud State until his hiring as Vancouver's head coach in 2025.

Idalski's experience serving as head coach at the 2022 Olympics was certainly an asset in the process.

He wasn't however, the only candidate. It's believed Montreal Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie went deep into the process with Český Hokej, but may have stepped away from the process to focus on the soon-to-be Team Canada vacancy. 

Another name that came up in the process is former Metropolitan Riveters head coach Ivo Mocek, who remains a candidate to join Czechia's national program in a separate role. 

Czechia had a disappointing fifth place finish at the 2026 Olympics despite a roster featuring the third most PWHL players behind only Canada and USA.