Midgley caps huge week with gold at the world women’s championship

By Darryl G. Smart

It’s an understatement to say that Jim Midgley has had a huge couple of weeks. 

Seven days after being named an assistant coach for the New York Rangers, the pride and joy of Townsend helped lead Team Canada to gold at the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships in Calgary.

Marie-Philip Poulin scored the overtime winner Tuesday night to give Team Canada 3-2 victory over the United States. Canada’s gold halted the United States’ run as world champions for the last five years. The last time Canada won world gold was in  2012.

Last week, the 43-year-old was introduced as one of three new Rangers assistant coaches, along with Gord Murphy and Mike Kelly.

Last season Midgley scouted for the Philadelphia Flyers, after a year as an assistant coach for the Iserlohn Roosters, of the German Elite League in 2019-20. Midgley spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Halifax Mooseheads, before taking over as head coach for the 2017-18 season when he had a 43-18-6-1 record. He also coached with the Acadia Axemen and Saint John Sea Dogs.