The Vancouver Goldeneyes have officially joined the PWHL's head coach market; here are six candidates they could consider.
After only one season behind the bench, the Vancouver Goldeneyes have made the decision to part ways with head coach Brian Idalski. Vancouver, a team expected to be a Walter Cup favourite this year, finished sixth in the PWHL in their inaugural season but managed to put together enough gold plan points to be awarded the first-overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft.
Where things will get interesting from here is the direction the Goldeneyes decide to move in. On one hand, the PWHL’s expansion process could result in the team looking completely different from how they do to this day — which would make selecting a new head coach difficult. On the flip side, with nearly half of the league in the market for coaches, Vancouver may feel the need for urgency when it comes to naming a replacement.
When it comes to naming a new head coach, there are a couple of names that stick out for Vancouver. Of course, there’s the option that they promote assistant coach B.J. Adams, who was part of Idalski’s coaching staff during the 2025–26 season alongside Myles Fitzgerald. Having said that, Adams’ experience in the women’s hockey sphere is limited, with the majority of his time as a coach being spent at the ECHL, OHL, and NCAA level with men’s players.
The Goldeneyes could also take a look at bringing in a head coach who was recently let go from none-other than their fellow expansion team. Ex-Seattle Torrent head coach Steve O’Rourke is from BC and has coached in the OHL, AHL, WHL, and BCHL, including spending six seasons with the Prince George Cougars from 2016 to 2022. Like Adams, however, his experience in the women’s game is limited to just this past season. This year, O’Rourke coached the Torrent to an eighth-place finish that saw them post a record of 8–1–5–16.
How would Jessica Campbell sound as the Goldeneyes’ next head coach? The former Seattle Kraken assistant coach would definitely turn heads if she were to take a job in Vancouver, and given her history with BC — spending the past couple of off-seasons, including this one, coaching girls hockey camps in Kelowna — it would theoretically make sense. That said, most of her experience as of late has been at the NHL and AHL level, and it appears she’s looking to stay there.
Looking around the PWHL, there are also a couple of current assistant coach names that stick out. Haley Irwin has acted as an assistant coach for the Ottawa Charge since the league’s inception in 2023–24, and recently took over for current head coach Carla McLeod as she stepped away to continue undergoing treatment for cancer. During that span, Ottawa won four of their five games to clinch the final spot in the 2026 Walter Cup Playoffs. Irwin also served as an assistant coach for Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) from 2019 to 2023.
Another PWHL assistant coach who may be looking for their shot at a head coaching job is Toronto Sceptres assistant Rachel Flanagan. Prior to spending the past three seasons with the Sceptres, Flanagan spent 17 seasons with the University of Guelph, primarily as head coach but also as Director of Hockey Operations (2023–24). During her time in Guelph, Flanagan collected five Coach of the Year honours and won a championship in 2018–19.
Familiarity has played a big role in the construction of the Goldeneyes’ roster and organization, and this particular coaching candidate would fill this requirement well. Three-time Olympic medallist and longtime University of Toronto head coach Vicky Sunohara currently acts as a coaching consultant for the Sceptres, but could be an option for the Goldeneyes if she’s interested. In her time as a head and assistant coach for Canada's U-18 and senior national teams, Sunohara has worked with both Goldeneyes goaltenders Emerance Maschmeyer and Kristen Campbell, defenders Ashton Bell and Claire Thompson, as well as star forward Sarah Nurse.
The Goldeneyes have a tough task ahead of them in replacing their head coach, given that four other teams also currently sport vacancies behind their bench. Expansion will undoubtedly play a role in who's available and who isn't.