June 01, 2026 - 7:55 PM
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Goldeneyes fired coach Brian Idalski on Monday after the expansion franchise finished sixth out of the PWHL's eight teams in its inaugural season.
General manager Cara Gardner Morey announced the decision, saying Idalski faced “unique challenges and opportunities” leading the first-year club.
“His leadership and experience helped establish the foundation of our organization,” Gardner Morey said. “We thank Brian for his professionalism and commitment to the Vancouver Goldeneyes and wish him all the best moving forward.”
Vancouver has the top pick in the upcoming draft, thanks to a league rule meant to discourage tanking. The Goldeneyes secured their draft spot by earning the most standings points among teams that had been eliminated from playoff contention.
The PWHL will expand to 12 teams for the 2026-27 season.
Idalski was recently hired as coach of the Czech women's national team.
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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
News from © The Associated Press, 2026