Mike Yeo to Become Blues Head Coach: Latest Comments, Reaction

The St. Louis Blues are preparing for their future by naming Mike Yeo their head coach for the 2017-18 season. 

Per Chris Pinkert of the Blues' official website, Yeo has been hired by the team as an associate coach for next season before taking over for Ken Hitchcock when he retires following the 2016-17 season. 

Per Pinkert's release, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong praised Yeo's experience and success as a coach:

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We’re excited to have [Yeo] join us as an associate coach for next season and to become the next head coach for the St. Louis Blues for three years after that. For being 42 years old, he’s got a lot of experience. He’s won a Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh, he’s taken an American League team to the finals and you saw the good job he did in Minnesota in taking that team to the second round. What excites me is his experience, but with his age, he can really relate to today’s players and it’s an exciting day for our team.

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Yeo also received a hearty endorsement from Hitchcock, per Pinkert: "I feel really confident that the team and the franchise is going to be in great shape with Mike at the helm."

Hitchcock gave the Blues ample time to find their next head coach. He signed a one-year extension on May 31 and left no doubt it would be his final season on the bench while leaving the door open for other jobs. 

"I'm not coaching after this year," Hitchcock said, per Craig Custance of ESPN.com. "I don't know if I'm going to retire."

Yeo has built up a strong coaching resume despite being just 42 years old. He had a 173-132-44 record in nearly five full seasons as head coach of the Minnesota Wild from 2011 to 2016, leading the team to three straight playoff appearances before being fired in February. 

Prior to Yeo's arrival, the Wild had not made the playoffs since the 2007-08 season.

He is walking into an outstanding situation, as the Blues have finished with more than 100 points in each of the last three seasons and advanced to the Western Conference Final this year for the first time since 2001. 

Fortunately, Yeo will have a full season to learn from Hitchcock and get to know the St. Louis roster before taking over. He has an excellent track record of turning teams around. Working with a team that is already built to win will provide him an opportunity to reach the pinnacle of the sport.