Mike Yeo spent five years in Minnesota. He's looking forward to one more day.

The former head coach of the Minnesota Wild, now associate coach with the St. Louis Blues, returns to his old stomping grounds Sunday as the Blues take on the Wild.

It marks Yeo's first trip back to Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center since his time behind the bench was cut short last season.

Still, Yeo is excited to reminisce with familiar faces in the place where he first served as bench boss after years as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.

"It's your first head coaching job, and the experience of working with a great organization and great people was something I'll always remember," Yeo told Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com. "To be able to do it in a hockey-mad market was something else. The people were passionate and always respectful.

"At the same time, you knew every day they were thinking and caring about what was going on with the Wild, and that made it fun."

Now with the Blues, Yeo plays a key role under long-time head coach Ken Hitchcock, who is in his final year with the club. Yeo will assume the head coaching duties next season. It was that interaction with Hitchcock that attracted Yeo to the Gateway City.

"Aside from wanting to help the team win this year any way I can, I've got a chance to learn from a Hall of Fame coach and a chance to learn about the group I'll be coaching," Yeo added, "So those are two invaluable tools for me."

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