PWHL Vancouver names Brian Idalski as 1st-ever coach

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 23, 2025 12:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

The Professional Women's Hockey League's caller squad successful Vancouver has named Brian Idalski its archetypal caput coach.

Idalski joins the enlargement broadside pursuing 3 seasons astatine St. Cloud State University, wherever helium pb the women's hockey squad to a program-record 36 league points and tied its grounds of 18 wins.

The 54-year-old from Warren, Mich., joins the PWHL pursuing 18 seasons arsenic a collegiate coach, including clip astatine the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin — Stevens Point, and appearances successful 5 NCAA tourney appearances.

Idalski antecedently coached overseas for the KRS Vanke Rays successful Shenzhen, China, wherever helium won 2 Zhenskaya Hockey League titles successful 3 years, and worked with caller PWHL Vancouver acquisitions Michela Cava and Hannah Miller.

He was besides caput manager of the China's women's hockey squad astatine the 2022 Beijing Olympics, a squad that besides included Miller.

Idalski said moving with truthful galore acquainted players successful Vancouver is simply a unsocial opportunity.

"The PWHL has had a immense interaction connected the planetary game, and to beryllium a portion of that — with enlargement helping propulsion it adjacent further guardant — is an unbelievable feeling," helium said successful a statement. "I've been associated with a batch of players crossed the PWHL, either coaching them personally oregon against them implicit the years, truthful this relation brings maine afloat ellipse with an eagerness to enactment with the league's world-class talent."

Idalski is simply a "proven victor who knows our sport, the players, and has coached astatine the highest levels," said Vancouver wide manager Cara Gardner Morey.

"What stands retired successful Brian's acquisition is his quality to physique and alteration the programs helium is simply a portion of, from his enactment successful nonrecreational leagues, astatine the Olympics, and turning collegiate teams into nationally ranked contenders," she said successful a release.

"I'm excited that helium volition pb our unthinkable radical successful Vancouver and can't hold to spot his imaginativeness and power signifier our foundation."

Sceptres motion ex-Victoire guardant DeGeorge

The Toronto Sceptres person signed guardant Clair DeGeorge connected a one-year contract, the Professional Women's Hockey League squad announced.

The 26-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, had 2 assists successful 26 games with the Montreal Victoire past season.

DeGeorge helped the Minnesota Frost triumph the Walter Cup successful the PWHL's inaugural 2024 season.

She had 1 assistance successful 23 regular-season games and appeared successful each 10 of the team's playoff games.

DeGeorge is the eighth subordinate to motion with the Sceptres this off-season, on with goaltender Elaine Chuli and guardant Claire Dalton, who some played with her past play successful Montreal.

The determination comes a time earlier the PWHL's draft successful Ottawa.

"We are excited to invited Clair to our organization," Sceptres wide manager Gina Kingsbury, said successful a quality release. "Clair is simply a 200-foot centre that is defensively liable with immoderate violative upside. She volition bring PWHL acquisition to our lineup, including being a Walter Cup champion."

Courtney Kessel to manager Princeton women

Princeton made it authoritative connected Monday successful announcing Courtney Kessel's hiring arsenic manager of the women's hockey team, a week aft the 2 sides were finalizing the agreement.

Kessel spent the past 2 years coaching the PWHL Boston Fleet and returns to Princeton wherever she spent 4 seasons, from 2019-23, arsenic an adjunct nether Cara Gardner Morey. She present succeeds Gardner Morey, who near the Tigers successful May upon being hired arsenic wide manager of the PWHL's enlargement squad successful Vancouver.

The 35-year-old Kessel had a 27-19-8 grounds successful Boston, including a Walter Cup Finals quality successful 2024, which the squad mislaid to Minnesota successful a decisive Game 5.

"It is bittersweet to determination connected from the Boston Fleet and the astonishing radical gathering that enactment and the PWHL arsenic a whole," Kessel said. "This accidental was the lone 1 that could gully maine distant from wherever I was."

From Toronto, Kessel played astatine New Hampshire, wherever she was a 2010 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, fixed to the MVP of women's assemblage hockey. She besides represented Canada astatine 3 satellite championships, including a gold-medal triumph successful 2012.

She besides has Hockey Canada coaching experience, serving arsenic a elder squad adjunct successful 2024 and caput manager of the 2023 gold-medal winning Under-18 team.

The Fleet person undergone large changes this off-season. Star guardant Hilary Knight near Boston to motion with the PWHL's enlargement squad successful Seattle. The Fleet besides person an opening astatine adjunct wide manager aft Meghan Turner was hired arsenic Seattle's wide manager.

"Courtney acceptable the code from Day 1 and elevated our radical with her competitiveness, preparation, and care," Fleet GM Danielle Marmer said. "She's already established herself arsenic an elite manager aboriginal successful her career, and I cognize she'll proceed to rise the barroom arsenic the adjacent caput manager astatine Princeton."