St. Cloud State's Brian Idalski hired as first coach of PWHL's expansion team in Vancouver
The 54-year-old has more than 20 years of women's hockey coaching experience, including overseeing China's national team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Idalski also coached the KRS Vanke Rays to two Russian-women's league ZhHL championships over a three-year period.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
19 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
PWHL Vancouver: Coach Brian Idalski's history includes Hammer time
PWHL Vancouver coach Brian Idalski can obviously talk pro women's hockey. He can also talk Dave (The Hammer) Schultz. Idalski, 54, added to what has to be one of the more unique resumes in the sport a few weeks back when he was named bench boss of the Vancouver expansion team that starts play based out of the Pacific Coliseum in the fall. Idalski was coach of Team China at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. He guided a Chinese team in a Russian pro women's league for three seasons. He was bench boss of the University of North Dakota squad that helped produce American Olympians like twin sisters Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux but folded in 2017 due to funding constraints at the school. Before that, the Warren, Mich., native was a steady, stay-at-home defenceman who saw action in minor pro for five seasons. That included suiting up in 1996-97 for the Madison Monsters, a team in the Colonial Hockey League that was coached by Schultz, a winger for the Philadelphia Flyers in their Broad Street Bullies days. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. There have been four seasons in NHL history where a player has amassed 400 minutes or more in penalties. Schultz owns two of those, including a league record 472 minutes in 1974-75. Schultz was at the helm for Idalski's second year in Madison. Mark Johnson was the coach for the first campaign, and as a player he was a stylish, savvy centre who starred with the 1980 U.S. Olympic team and then went on see duty in 11 seasons in the NHL. For comparison's sake, Johnson totalled a mere 269 minutes in the sin bin in his career. 'The Hammer? I enjoyed playing for him, but it was funny because that was such a different era,' said Idalski, who was heading up minor hockey camps at the North Shore Winter Club this past weekend. 'Mark had brought in some Europeans and we were playing on an Olympic-sized sheet, so we were all over the place. Dave had a hard time with that. He was used to the Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s, up and down the wing, get it in deep and go. 'He was a great human being. I really enjoyed playing for him as a person. But there are a fair number of stories coming out of that year that I still chuckle about.' Idalski comes to PWHL Vancouver after spending the past three seasons guiding the St. Cloud State University Huskies. The St. Cloud, Minn., program had a 16-point jump in the overall standings in his first season in 2022-23, leading Idalski to win U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) coach of the year honours. Part of the appeal with the new job is the roster that general manager Cara Gardner Morey has assembled. The forward crew includes national team stalwart Sarah Nurse along with homegrown talents Hannah Miller and Jenn Gardiner . The defence features reigning PWHL defender of the year finalists Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, and the netminding has two former starters in the loop in Kristen Campbell and Emerance Maschmeyer. The team looks like it will contend instantly and, as Idalski says, 'The fact that I get the keys to something that has the opportunity to be special right away is really something — normally, you have to cut your teeth, pay your dues for a few years.' Running an NCAA team has become a complicated proposition of late as well, with more frequent player movement due to looser transfer regulations and enticements like Name Image Likeness (NIL) sponsorship deals ruling the day. 'This is a best-on-best league, and how you show up, how you prepare, gives you have a chance to win and that's on you,' Idalski said. 'There's a lot of things in college … it didn't matter how much time I put or how hard I worked.' All told, Idalski has coached 18 seasons in the NCAA, including 10 at North Dakota. They were a prominent program then, particularly when they had the Lamoureux sisters. The pair represented the U.S. at three Olympics, including Vancouver 2010. In 2017, North Dakota shut down the team as well as the men's and women's swimming squads in a bid to slice $1.3 million from the athletic budget. 'I wouldn't wish that on anybody, especially with what we had built and what was around the corner for us,' Idalski said. 'But, out of that, I can turn around and say that it was one of the best things that happened to me. I got to go to the Olympics, I got to coach overseas and live in China and Russia. Who gets to do those things? 'I probably would have stayed in North Dakota another 10 or 15 years. I may have ended my career there. But it forced me to grow. Dealing with that made me a better person.' After North Dakota, Idalski went to the KRS Vanke Rays and guided the team from Shenzhen, China to two titles in three years in the Russian Zhenskaya Hockey League. That led to him being named bench boss of the Chinese team for Beijing 2022. China went 2-2-0 there. Highlights from that stretch for him — a kid who grew up in a Detroit suburb — included having breakfast with former Red Wings winger Slava Kozlov when their teams wound up staying at the same hotel, and watching former Red Wings centre Pavel Datsyuk play in a 5,000-seat arena. 'I loved it. I thought it was just an awesome experience,' Idalski said. The PWHL has yet to announce its schedule for its upcoming third season, which now features eight teams with the additions of Vancouver and Seattle. Teams played 30-game seasons last year, beginning on Nov. 30. Check the PWHL Vancouver website for more information . @SteveEwen SEwen@
The Province
19 hours ago
- The Province
PWHL Vancouver: Coach Brian Idalski's history includes Hammer time
A stint with former Flyers tough guy Dave Schultz as his coach is just a small part of the story for the bench boss of the PWHL expansion team Get the latest from Steve Ewen straight to your inbox Brian Idalski was coach of Team China at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. Photo by Petr David Josek / AP PWHL Vancouver coach Brian Idalski can obviously talk pro women's hockey. He can also talk Dave (The Hammer) Schultz. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Idalski, 54, added to what has to be one of the more unique resumes in the sport a few weeks back when he was named bench boss of the Vancouver expansion team that starts play based out of the Pacific Coliseum in the fall. Idalski was coach of Team China at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. He guided a Chinese team in a Russian pro women's league for three seasons. He was bench boss of the University of North Dakota squad that helped produce American Olympians like twin sisters Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux but folded in 2017 due to funding constraints at the school. Before that, the Warren, Mich., native was a steady, stay-at-home defenceman who saw action in minor pro for five seasons. That included suiting up in 1996-97 for the Madison Monsters, a team in the Colonial Hockey League that was coached by Schultz, a winger for the Philadelphia Flyers in their Broad Street Bullies days. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There have been four seasons in NHL history where a player has amassed 400 minutes or more in penalties. Schultz owns two of those, including a league record 472 minutes in 1974-75. Schultz was at the helm for Idalski's second year in Madison. Mark Johnson was the coach for the first campaign, and as a player he was a stylish, savvy centre who starred with the 1980 U.S. Olympic team and then went on see duty in 11 seasons in the NHL. For comparison's sake, Johnson totalled a mere 269 minutes in the sin bin in his career. 'The Hammer? I enjoyed playing for him, but it was funny because that was such a different era,' said Idalski, who was heading up minor hockey camps at the North Shore Winter Club this past weekend. 'Mark had brought in some Europeans and we were playing on an Olympic-sized sheet, so we were all over the place. Dave had a hard time with that. He was used to the Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s, up and down the wing, get it in deep and go. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'He was a great human being. I really enjoyed playing for him as a person. But there are a fair number of stories coming out of that year that I still chuckle about.' Idalski comes to PWHL Vancouver after spending the past three seasons guiding the St. Cloud State University Huskies. The St. Cloud, Minn., program had a 16-point jump in the overall standings in his first season in 2022-23, leading Idalski to win U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) coach of the year honours. Part of the appeal with the new job is the roster that general manager Cara Gardner Morey has assembled. The forward crew includes national team stalwart Sarah Nurse along with homegrown talents Hannah Miller and Jenn Gardiner. The defence features reigning PWHL defender of the year finalists Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, and the netminding has two former starters in the loop in Kristen Campbell and Emerance Maschmeyer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. PWHL Vancouver players Sarah Nurse, from front left to back, Kristen Campbell and Jenn Gardiner tour False Creek on an Aquabus water taxi in Vancouver on Aug. 1, 2025 Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS The team looks like it will contend instantly and, as Idalski says, 'The fact that I get the keys to something that has the opportunity to be special right away is really something — normally, you have to cut your teeth, pay your dues for a few years.' Running an NCAA team has become a complicated proposition of late as well, with more frequent player movement due to looser transfer regulations and enticements like Name Image Likeness (NIL) sponsorship deals ruling the day. 'This is a best-on-best league, and how you show up, how you prepare, gives you have a chance to win and that's on you,' Idalski said. 'There's a lot of things in college … it didn't matter how much time I put or how hard I worked.' All told, Idalski has coached 18 seasons in the NCAA, including 10 at North Dakota. They were a prominent program then, particularly when they had the Lamoureux sisters. The pair represented the U.S. at three Olympics, including Vancouver 2010. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. PWHL defender Ashton Bell scores during a scrimmage against Delilah Hawse Campbell at The Big Backyard on opening weekend of the 2025 PNE Fair in Vancouver, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025 just 100 meters from where the PWHL will play this fall. Photo by Craig Hodge In 2017, North Dakota shut down the team as well as the men's and women's swimming squads in a bid to slice $1.3 million from the athletic budget. 'I wouldn't wish that on anybody, especially with what we had built and what was around the corner for us,' Idalski said. 'But, out of that, I can turn around and say that it was one of the best things that happened to me. I got to go to the Olympics, I got to coach overseas and live in China and Russia. Who gets to do those things? 'I probably would have stayed in North Dakota another 10 or 15 years. I may have ended my career there. But it forced me to grow. Dealing with that made me a better person.' After North Dakota, Idalski went to the KRS Vanke Rays and guided the team from Shenzhen, China to two titles in three years in the Russian Zhenskaya Hockey League. That led to him being named bench boss of the Chinese team for Beijing 2022. China went 2-2-0 there. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Highlights from that stretch for him — a kid who grew up in a Detroit suburb — included having breakfast with former Red Wings winger Slava Kozlov when their teams wound up staying at the same hotel, and watching former Red Wings centre Pavel Datsyuk play in a 5,000-seat arena. 'I loved it. I thought it was just an awesome experience,' Idalski said. The PWHL has yet to announce its schedule for its upcoming third season, which now features eight teams with the additions of Vancouver and Seattle. Teams played 30-game seasons last year, beginning on Nov. 30. Check the PWHL Vancouver website for more information. @SteveEwen SEwen@ Read More
National Post
19 hours ago
- National Post
PWHL Vancouver: Coach Brian Idalski's history includes Hammer time
Article content Running an NCAA team has become a complicated proposition of late as well, with more frequent player movement due to looser transfer regulations and enticements like Name Image Likeness (NIL) sponsorship deals ruling the day. Article content 'This is a best-on-best league, and how you show up, how you prepare, gives you have a chance to win and that's on you,' Idalski said. 'There's a lot of things in college … it didn't matter how much time I put or how hard I worked.' Article content All told, Idalski has coached 18 seasons in the NCAA, including 10 at North Dakota. They were a prominent program then, particularly when they had the Lamoureux sisters. The pair represented the U.S. at three Olympics, including Vancouver 2010. Article content Article content In 2017, North Dakota shut down the team as well as the men's and women's swimming squads in a bid to slice $1.3 million from the athletic budget. Article content 'I wouldn't wish that on anybody, especially with what we had built and what was around the corner for us,' Idalski said. 'But, out of that, I can turn around and say that it was one of the best things that happened to me. I got to go to the Olympics, I got to coach overseas and live in China and Russia. Who gets to do those things? Article content Article content 'I probably would have stayed in North Dakota another 10 or 15 years. I may have ended my career there. But it forced me to grow. Dealing with that made me a better person.' Article content After North Dakota, Idalski went to the KRS Vanke Rays and guided the team from Shenzhen, China to two titles in three years in the Russian Zhenskaya Hockey League. That led to him being named bench boss of the Chinese team for Beijing 2022. China went 2-2-0 there. Article content Highlights from that stretch for him — a kid who grew up in a Detroit suburb — included having breakfast with former Red Wings winger Slava Kozlov when their teams wound up staying at the same hotel, and watching former Red Wings centre Pavel Datsyuk play in a 5,000-seat arena. Article content
