Cara Gardner Morey named new Goldeneyes head coach
A surprising move in the Northwest.
On Thursday, the Vancouver Goldeneyes announced that general manager Cara Gardner Morey is stepping down from her post. Instead, she has been named the second head coach in franchise history.
Gardner Morey came to the PWHL last summer, becoming the Goldeneyes’ first GM. She hired former St. Cloud State coach Brian Idalski as the first head coach. However, things didn’t work out in Vancouver’s inaugural season. Even with an extremely talented roster, the Goldeneyes struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 9-3-4-14 record and sixth in the league standings. Yet, the team managed to earn the first-overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft.
At the conclusion of the season, Idalski was fired.
The 47-year-old admitted that she’s excited to return to the bench.
“I spent a lot of time reflecting and discussing what was best for our team and for me personally,” Gardner Morey said in a release. “Through that process, I realized how much I missed being behind the bench. While I continue to be incredibly proud of what we built in Vancouver during our inaugural season, coaching is where I know I can make the biggest impact. To have the opportunity to coach the roster we’ve assembled is an incredible privilege, and I can’t wait for us to take the ice later this year.”
As GM, Gardner Morey brought in exceptional players such as Sarah Nurse, Emerance Maschmeyer and Sophie Jaques. On top of that, she was able to select the reigning Patty Kazmaier Award winner, Caroline Harvey, with the No. 1 pick last month.
The PWHL is conducting a search for the Goldeneyes’ new GM.
Prior to joining the Goldeneyes, Gardner Morey was a standout coach at Princeton University. She was part of the program for 14 seasons, eight of which as head coach. She coached the likes of Claire Thompson, Maggie Connors, Mariah Keopple and Sarah Fillier. Under her tutelage, the Tigers won the 2020 ECAC Championship, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2019.