The Vancouver Goldeneyes have made a coaching change. Things didn't go well in the team's inaugural season, and head coach Brian Idalski took the fall parting ways with the team.
It has not been a friendly summer for the PWHL's coaching pool with head coaches moving markets, or moving on across the league.
Next up, the Vancouver Goldeneyes have made a change parting ways with head coach Brian Idalski.
"As we conclude our inaugural season and evaluate the future direction of the organization, we have made the decision to make a change at the head coaching position," said GM Cara Gardner Morey.
"Brian Idalski joined the Goldeneyes prior to the team’s first season in Vancouver, a role that offered unique challenges and opportunities. His leadership and experience helped establish the foundation of our organization during its inaugural year. We thank Brian for his professionalism and commitment to the Vancouver Goldeneyes and wish him all the best moving forward.”
To date, the PWHL's coaching shuffle has involved the Toronto Sceptres watching Troy Ryan leave to become the new coach and general manager for PWHL San Jose. Then there was the Seattle Torrent parting ways with head coach Steven O'Rourke. Next it was Boston Fleet bench boss and PWHL Coach of the Year finalist Kris Sparre departing to take over with PWHL Hamilton. Add in the vacancy in Las Vegas, which has been rumored to be going to Colorado Eagles assistant coach Kim Weiss, and there are four official coaching vacancies in the 12-team league.
That number could grew to five as the PWHL's Vancouver Goldeneyes made their change.
General manager Cara Gardner Morey hired Brian Idalski as the team's first ever head coach, but after one season, Gardner Morey decided to head in a new direction.
Idalski arrived in Vancouver with high hopes as a head coach with 18 seasons of NCAA head coaching experience, including the past three as head coach with St. Cloud State. Idalski had also coached internationally as the head coach of KRS Shenzhen in China, and as China's head coach at the 2022 Olympics.
Last month, Idalski was also named head coach of Czechia's women's national team.
But things didn't go as planned in Vancouver. After compiling an impressive roster of talented players, most picked the Goldeneyes as an offseason favorite to win the Walter Cup. Instead, Vancouver missed the playoffs finishing with a 9-3-4-14 record. If there was one redeeming portion of Vancouver's season, it was the fact the team finished atop the PWHL's Draft Order of Selection standings to earn the first overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft after they were eliminated from playoff contention.
PWHL Detroit is the only team this offseason to hire a new head coach who was not serving in the role last season in the PWHL hiring former New York Sirens' assistant coach Josh Sciba.
There is speculation that Gardner Morey may have discussed the potential of copying San Jose's dual role having joined Vancouver after serving as the longtime head coach for Princeton.
That however, is unlikely to materialize and Vancouver will now begin the search for a new head coach.