Brian Idalski took over a St. Cloud State team that 9-23-3 overall and 4-20-3 in the WCHA last season and led them to their highest national ranking in 14 years. Finishing the season ranked 12th overall, the Huskies put up their best season in years, going 18-18-1 overall and 11-16-1 in the WCHA. They earned at least a point from every other team in the conference – something they’d not done since 2010. They tied the program high in wins that hadn’t been touched since 2008 and had the second-most conference wins in a season.
With little roster turnover, the Huskies became a whole new team and showed massive growth under Idalski in every aspect of the game. Nine players matched or exceeded previous career-high point totals.
Fifth-year forward Jenniina Nylund set new career highs in goals, assists and points. Senior Klára Hymlárová doubled her previous career high in goals and led the country in power play tallies in the regular season, with eight. Sophomore defender Grace Wolfe had three assists as a freshman and finished her second year with two goals and 16 helpers.
Junior Jojo Chobak set a program record with five shutouts, the biggest of which came against eventual National Champions Wisconsin at the Badgers Fill the Bowl game in early February. The Huskies set a program record with an NCAA best 576 blocked shots, in part thanks to Dayle Ross’ 104 blocks, also a program single-season record.
The Huskies had the second-best goals against average (2.59) in program history, scored the most power play goals (20) since 2010, put up the second-most even-strength goals (64) in program history and their shooting percentage was the best of any Huskies team since before most of these players were born.
Idalski knew what this team was capable of – he told those in his interview for the position that the fundamentals were sound with this roster, but they needed fine tuning to take it to the next level. His attention to detail, rigorous practices on and off ice and his belief in what the players were capable of helped elevate St. Cloud to new levels and bring out the best in the players. They put together complete games, pushed teams for the full 60 minutes (or more) and competed on every inch of ice. The players were faster and stronger and showed the first taste of what it will mean to be a St. Cloud Husky in years to come.
He was brought to this program because of the way he raises expectations and creates a culture of not just winning, but accountability. He is setting a new standard that will only continue to grow as he has more time to recruit and develop players. He already had a proven track record of being able to turn around a program and make them NCAA tournament contenders and in just one season, he showed that the same will be possible at SCSU. There will likely be stumbling blocks, but he’s shown his administration, his players and the rest of the league what’s possible and what the expectations are. Everyone else should be on notice.
Watching the Huskies find their confidence and exceed everyone’s expectations was one of the joys of this women’s college hockey season. For as stern and imposing as Idalski can appear, he’s also funny, open and approachable and first and foremost, committed to women’s hockey, here and abroad.
He was named 2022-23 WCHA Co-Coach of the Year alongside Ohio State’s Nadine Muzerall. It was just the second time an SCSU coach was given the honor after Kerry Wethington-Brodt won the award in 2000-01.
A new standard has been set in St. Cloud. Longtime women’s hockey fans are unsurprised by the success Idalski has helped SCSU find in his first season behind the Huskies’ bench. If nothing else, what his team accomplished this season should help shift the focus from his past to St. Cloud’s present and future.
Women’s college hockey is better for Brian Idalski being in it.
Congratulations to the St. Cloud State Huskies and him on being named this year’s USCHO Coach of the Year.
