Alberta qualified for the playoffs in each of Daum’s 10 straight seasons, and it qualified for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) National Championship every year since 1996-97. He coached the Golden Bears to three national titles, including back-to-back wins in 1999-2000, and a championship in 2005. The Bears won six Canada West titles under Daum.

“We were very lucky to entice Rob to leave the University of Alberta,” said Tom Lynn, Minnesota Wild assistant general manager/hockey operations. “He has been a John Wooden of Canadian College Hockey. His combined experience in developing young players and producing winning teams stood out clearly in our search for the best person to coach the Aeros."

“The opportunity to coach at the pro level is always enticing,” Daum said. “It’s something I’ve looked forward to the last number of years. It was a matter of getting the right opportunity. The Minnesota organization is one that has always intrigued me. I was really interested and I was fortunate to get the position.”

“Another area of the job that really intrigued me was to develop players for the Wild organization,” Daum added. “In the new NHL, player development is even more important. When you look at the Wild’s history, they are a big proponent of building through the draft and developing their own players. They put a lot of responsibility on developing from within.”

Daum was named CIS Coach of the Year in 2000-01 and 2003-04, and Canada West Coach of the Year five times. He has coached 58 Canada West All-Stars, including 25 First-Team All-Stars, and he’s coached five Canada West MVP’s in 10 seasons. The most recent one was former Aero Ryan Wade.

Daum played two-plus seasons for the Golden Bears from 1979-1982, including the 1979-80 CIS University Cup championship team. Prior to joining the Golden Bears, he played one season of college hockey with the Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (now Augustana University College). Daum was the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.

He was also head coach with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1993-95, and he coached Kirby Law, the Aeros’ captain in 2004-05, in his second season. Daum was also an assistant with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos prior to McLellan’s arrival with the Broncos, and he was both a head coach and an assistant coach with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders.

He guided Team Canada, including several of his own Golden Bears players, to a Bronze Medal at the January 2003 World University Games in Tarvisio, Italy.

Daum replaces Todd McLellan, who left the Aeros after four seasons to become assistant coach for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He will work with long-time Aeros assistant general manager/assistant coach Matt Shaw.

Daum and his wife, Carol, have a 15-year-old son, Evan, and twin daughters, Carly and Lauren, 13.

Per club policy, terms of the multi-year contract were not disclosed.