Former Player bcome's the new coach of the Houston Aeros

A former player in Mike Yeo who helped the Aeros 1999 Tuner Cup when the Aeros were in the old IHL has become the 8th head coach in the team's history which goes back to 1994. He was a part of the Aeros inaugural year when the team started in 1994 and shortly left after the Aeros won the Turner Cup in 1999.

Since then he's been in the coaching ranks as an assistant coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2005 after the Lockout where he helped the Penguins to a 47 point improvement which was the 4th biggest turnaround in a single year in league history.

This will be Yeo's first Head Coaching job at any level in his career as he hopes to turnaround the Aeros after finishing last in the West Division with a 34-34-7 record just a year after the team made the AHL Western Conference Final before losing to the Manitoba Moose.

From the Houston Aeros Website: www.aeros.com

Audio Interview Part 1: www.aeros.com/fancenter/multimedia/player/?mediaid=2136

Audio Interview Part 2: www.aeros.com/fancenter/multimedia/player/?mediaid=2137

Houston Aeros General Manager Jim Mill today named Former Aero Mike Yeo as the team's new head coach. Yeo, who spent the last five years as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins, helped lead the Penguins to the 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Championship. He also played five seasons with the Aeros 1994-99 and was the captain of Houston's 1999 Turner Cup Winning Team.

"After an extensive search that included an outstanding group of candidates we are excited to name Mike Yeo the new head coach of the Houston Aeros," Mill said. "He has been a winner at all levels and is a great fit for Houston and the Wild Organization."

Yeo, 36, joined the Penguins coaching staff when Michel Therrien was named Head Coach in December, 2005. In 2006-07, his first full season with the Penguins, Yeo helped lead the team to a 47 point turnaround, the fourth biggest turnaround from one year to another in NHL History.

The following season, the Penguins won the Eastern Conference Championship for the first time since 1992, before falling to Detroit in the Stanley Cup Final. Yeo remained assistant coach under Dan Byslma, who replaced Dan Therrien in February, 2009, and Pittsburgh went on to its third Stanley Cup Title in team history.

"I am thrilled to be a part of the Wild Organization and rejoin the Houston Community," Yeo Said. "I look forward to building on the success the Aeros have est. over the past 16 years."

Prior joining the Pittsburgh Penguins coaching staff, Yeo spent six seasons as assistant coach for the W-B/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh's American Hockey League (AHL) Affiliate. He began his coaching career at 26 after suffering a career ending injury while playing for W-B/Scranton during the 1999-2000 season.

In his six seasons behind the bench, Yeo helped the Penguins earn a Western Conference Title in 2001, an Eastern Conference Title in 2005 and two berths in the Calder Cup Finals.

The native of North Bay, Ontario, joined the Aeros in 1994 after playing four seasons with the Sudbury Wolves (OHL). The left winger posted 127 points (55G 72A) and 511 PIM in 317 games with the Aeros, including career highs of 20 goals, 21 assists, 41 points and 128 PIM during the 1997-98 season. As captian of the 1998-1999 team, Yeo also lead the Aeros to the 1998-1999 championship.