Cara Gardner Morey switching from GM to head coach for Vancouver Goldeneyes

Cara Gardner Morey’s heart is in coaching, so she stepped out of the job of general manager of the Vancouver Goldeneyes to step behind the team’s bench.

Gardner Morey will coach the Goldeneyes in the club’s second season in the Professional Women’s Hockey League after she was GM in its first.

The 47-year-old from Hensall, Ont., replaces Brian Idalski, who was fired after Vancouver finished sixth in the eight-team league with a 9-3-4-14 record and missed the playoffs.

Idalski has since been hired as head coach of Syracuse University’s women’s team.

Gardner Morey will coach a team she largely built through the PWHL draft and free agency. The Goldeneyes owned the first pick in 2026 and selected American defender Caroline Harvey.

“I have a luxury that some other professional coaches don’t get,” Gardner Morey said Thursday during a video conference call with reporters. “It’s very exciting as a pro coach to know that you get to coach the players that you really believe in and brought in to make a difference in the franchise.”

The league will lead the search for Vancouver’s next general manager.

“Cara played an instrumental role in establishing the Goldeneyes during their inaugural season, helping shape the team’s identity and lay a strong foundation for the future,” PWHL executive vice-president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said in a statement.

“She has a proven track record of developing athletes and creating high-performing teams, and we’re excited to support her during this transition.”

There tends to be more job security for a GM than a coach in professional hockey. Coaches routinely get fired in the NHL when their teams are struggling.

“Crossed my mind, but you have to go where your heart is,” Gardner Morey said.

“I am passionate about coaching. It’s part of my identity and it’s what I know and what I feel really confident in. If I can be a bigger impact in the role as head coach, then that’s something I want to do to move this franchise another step forward.”

She was unwilling to hold both jobs simultaneously as Troy Ryan will for expansion San Jose next season when the PWHL has 12 teams.

“Slightly considered it,” Gardner Morey said. “For me right now, it was the excitement of just going all in on coaching them.

“It’s a real advantage that I had the privilege of sitting in the GM chair for a year and having real familiarity and having bonds with the players and the staff and building a lot of trust.

“It’s almost a little bit of a head start heading into the season, knowing that that’s already established.”

Gardner Morey spent eight years as head coach of Princeton’s women before joining the PWHL last year.

She navigated the Tigers to an Ivy League championship in 2019, along with a conference title and a single-season wins record (26) in 2020. Her teams qualified for NCAA championship quarterfinals twice.

A PWHL roster is 23 players plus up to three reserves. As of this week, Vancouver has 16 players under contract, according to the league’s website.

The Goldeneyes have yet to announce a contract for Harvey, who bolsters a strong blue line that includes captain Ashton Bell and all-star Sophie Jaques.

“The players we brought in and the skill sets they have and how I see our team forming, it’s going to be a lot of speed,” Gardner Morey said. “You’re going to see a really fierce, physical team that’s really difficult to play against. Ideally, we want to have a lot of fun out there, so really creative with the puck, high offence.

“We have very offensive (defenders), so I’m hoping to be a high-scoring team with a lot scoring chances. I want the fans to be having fun and excited when they’re watching our games.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press