Aaron Schneekloth will have no problems finding success in NHL

Former Colorado Eagles head coach Aaron Schneekloth has found success at every level he has coached at.

On June 17th, Aaron Schneekloth made the jump to the NHL with the Seattle Kraken as an assistant coach. Schneekloth is a legend around Northern Colorado, spending the last 19 years with the organization as player and coach. He helped bring three championships to Loveland, one as a player and two as a coach.

As a player, success has followed Schneekloth. While attending the University of North Dakota, he won the NCAA National Championship in 2000. The Calgary native made the jump right to the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. His first year he played with current Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. But another championship would not come until he came to Colorado in 2006. He led the way with the Eagles in the Central Hockey League and secured the Ray Miron President’s Cup.

Schneekloth has his number 23 hanging in the rafters in Loveland, along with four other players. He worked his way through the record books for the Eagles, playing the second most games in franchise history (382). As a defenseman, Schneekloth also put up the points. He sits fifth in the franchise for all-time points with 356 and fourth in assists with 245.

As a coach, the wins came right away for him. After he was an assistant coach for three seasons, Schneekloth took over as the bench boss in 2016–17. The Colorado Eagles became back-to-back Kelly Cup Champions under his watch and jumped to the American Hockey League. The Avalanche kept him as an assistant for head coach Greg Cronin for five seasons.

Colorado Eagles

Patience was a virtue for the 46-year-old as Cronin departed for the NHL. The Eagles once again named Schneekloth, their head coach. He would take them to the playoffs in both seasons at the helm. This last season would be the Eagles’ first appearance in the Division Finals with him at the helm since jumping to the AHL in 2018.

Coach Schneekloth will not have any problems at any level he coaches at. He approaches all his players as not just members of the team, but as young men learning life lessons. It is for this reason that Schneekloth has more compassion for the players under him. He has been there fighting his way through the ranks. He knows what it takes. And for that reason, former players always make the best coaches.