MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - The Minnesota Wild named Mike Yeo as their new head coach on Friday, hoping the former Pittsburgh Penguins assistant can help snap a playoff drought that has dragged on for three seasons.
Yeo, who will be the third coach of the Wild since the team joined the league in 2000, spent last season as head coach of the Houston Aeros, the club's affiliate team in the American Hockey League.
"Mike possesses a great passion for coaching and is a strong communicator," Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said in a statement. "He has been a winner at every level throughout his extensive coaching career."
The 37-year-old Yeo replaces Todd Richards, who was fired after the team finished his second season in charge with a 39-35-8 record that left them in 12th place in the 15-team Western Conference.
Yeo, who will be the youngest coach in the NHL, also spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, including their Stanley Cup championship in 2009.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Julian Linden)
