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has won more than 400 games as a hockey coach, but he wants his players to care about the Orange Block S on the front of the sweater more than they care about the name stitched on the back of the jersey.

That’s the message Idalski, the Orange’s third head coach in the history of the , has brought to Syracuse, where the team is off to a 6-2 start, including a 5-4 overtime win over No. 4 Penn State.

During a decorated 25-year career that has seen him win more than 62% of the games he’s coached, Idalski asks his players to pay attention to the little details, put in the hard work in practice and study film to find new ways to improve.

“My former players would say that I’m demanding, but that I care. That I’m not afraid to spend the time, that if they’re willing to work hard, I’ll put in the time to help them be better,” says Idalski, whose previous collegiate coaching stops include North Dakota, St. Cloud State and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

“We never lose sight of the team dynamic. That’s what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself.”

Why a Proven Winner Chose Syracuse

Idalski is known for his player development talents, mentoring 10 Olympians, 35 national team players, nine All-Americans and 42 all-conference selections in his career. Besides college, he’s also coached the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Chinese women’s national team at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.

What made Syracuse appealing as Idalski’s next coaching challenge?

“There’s not many Power Five conference teams that have a women’s program, and there is a fair amount of potential that goes along with that,” Idalski says. “This program has had success in the past and has what it takes to be successful. I felt we could take that success a step farther.”

Another deciding factor? Bryan Blair, Syracuse’s first-year director of athletics.

“I’ve worked for 10 different athletic directors, and when I walked out of his office after my interview, I was really excited and I knew this was the place for me,” Idalski says. “His energy was incredible, he’s got a terrific vision and I could tell his leadership was going to make a huge difference on this department.”

Humble Beginnings

Before he became a professional defenseman or a member of the UW-Stevens Point team that won the 1993 NCAA Division III National Championship, Idalski was a wide-eyed 5-year-old who fell in love with hockey the first time he stepped on the ice.

The problem was, in those early days of what turned into a lifelong love affair, hockey didn’t always love Idalski back.

“I didn’t get on the ice and just start flying around being really good,” says Idalski. “I spent more time lying on the ice than anything else. At first, I could barely stand up, but I still thought it was the coolest thing.”

A big reason why hockey has “dominated my life ever since” was the support of his parents, especially his father, Don, who, while not a hockey player, was more than happy to take Brian to every practice, every game, every tournament. Even if it meant returning to their Warren, Michigan, home at 1 a.m. with Don needing to get up at 6 a.m. for work that morning.

“You don’t get to be involved in hockey like that without your parents driving you all over the place,” Idalski says. “It was a huge commitment on his part, but he still watches my games. Even now, he’ll call me and offer up his thoughts on how a game went.”

A Commitment to Excellence

Now, as a coach, Idalski is the one putting in the time for his players. He strives to set them up for lifelong success, whether they dream of playing in the PWHL or professionally overseas or whether they plan on hanging up their skates once they graduate.

“I know what my type of players are. You have to want to be excellent academically and also on the ice. Creating that balance is important for me and for our program,” Idalski says. “You have to have a chip on your shoulder to succeed in building a program. That takes a special type of student-athlete. We’re going to work hard and develop successful players.”

When it comes to the Orange’s playing style, Idalski says he wants his teams to always be relentless with their defensive pressure, their physicality and their drive to “compete all over the ice.”

“We can control our effort, our energy and our passion to pursue pucks and be physical,” Idalski says. “That’s something this group has really bought into and worked really hard at so far. Things have gone pretty well, but you know that adversity is coming, and that’s where you really start to find out what you have.”

After getting off to the best start in program history, the Orange are receiving votes in the for the second straight week.

Syracuse hosts Atlantic Hockey America opponent Delaware at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, and 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, in the Tennity Ice Pavilion.