Brian Idalski leaves St. Cloud State after being hired as coach of the PWHL expansion team in Vancouver, the League announced Monday.
The 54 -year -old has more than 20 years of experience in women's hockey training, including the supervision of China's national team at the 2022 Beijing winter games. Idalski also trained the Krs Vanke Rays to two ZHHL championships of the Russian women's league for a three -year period.
The Vancouver inaugural list includes former Vanke Rays players, Michela Cava and Hannah Miller, who also played for China in 2022. IDALSKI hiring comes a day before the PWHL draft. Vancouver will select the seventh followed by Seattle, with the expansion equipment by changing the two final points in each successive round of the six round draft.
“Brian is a proven winner who knows our sport, the players and has trained at the highest levels,” said Morey, General Manager Cara Gardner Morey. “What stands out in Brian's experience is his ability to build and transform the programs of which he is part, from his work in professional leagues, into the Olympic Games, and convert university teams into contestants with national classification.”
From Warren, Michigan, Idalski spent the last three seasons in St. Cloud State, where he obtained honors of the year of the university hockey coach in 2023 after the team tied a school record with 18 victories. Their teams have combined for five appearances in the NCAA tournament, with previous stops in North Dakota and Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
“They have associated me with many players throughout the PWHL, either by training them personally or against them over the years, so this role completes me with the circle with an enthusiasm for working with the world's world class talent of the league,” Idalski said.
Seattle took his training post hiring Steve O'Rourke last week.
