HOUSTON, Texas - There’s a banner suspended over the Houston Aeros‘ home ice commemorating the team's 1998-99 Turner Cup Championship season. Now, the man who captained that squad, Mike Yeo, will again stand beneath the banner, this time as head coach of the team that started his pro career.

The Minnesota Wild plan to announce Wednesday that Yeo, 36, will come full circle after 11 years to manage the bench for the Aeros and take on the critical task of developing prospects for the parent club.

Yeo, a Toronto native, spent the last 10 years as an assistant in the Penguins organization, first with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and then with Pittsburgh. He was responsible for coaching defense and power plays for the Penguins team that won the Stanley Cup a season ago, but came under heavy fire this season for an anemic Penguins power play.

The hiring is another instance of Wild GM (and former Penguins Assistant GM) Chuck Fletcher bringing in known quantities to fill critical positions, much as he did with head coach Todd Richards, who was head coach in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton from 2006-08.

Before joining the Penguins, Yeo spent 5 of his 6 years as a pro player with the Aeros when they were in the IHL. His final year in Houston, the Aeros won it all under the watch of coach Dave Tippett. Then Yeo left to play for the Penguins in the AHL, where injury kept him out most of the season and eventually ended his career as a player.

Yeo will take over for Kevin Constantine, whose contract was not renewed at the end of the season. The Wild cited a desire to install a style of play in Houston more compatible with what Richards coaches in Minnesota.

Yeo’s hiring appears to be consistent with that, as he should bring plenty of experience with Richards’ systems from his time in Pennsylvania.

Contact Heather.Galindo@prohockeynews.com