Letestu and Army Bring Experience and Zeal Behind Colorado Eagles Bench 

By Carlynn Claypool

Nov 17, 2025

After a busy off-season, not only do the Colorado Eagles have some new faces on the bench, but they have two new faces behind the bench. With Mark Letestu stepping in as head coach and Derek Army joining as an assistant coach, the team has brought on two people with the passion and experience to lead the Eagles. 
 
Before coming to Colorado, Letestu spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Monsters. Before that, he played professionally for 14 seasons, including 567 NHL games, tallying 93 goals and 209 assists. In his last two seasons of his first stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Letestu helped lead the team as an alternate captain.  

Letestu also played 255 games in the AHL, giving him first-hand knowledge of the skill, grit, and perseverance required for a player to stay in the lineup and move up to the NHL.  

"I spent enough time in the NHL to know what it takes to be successful there," Letestu said. "And you're hoping to just pass on some of your knowledge, and maybe it sticks... but my experiences hopefully can help them avoid some of the bumps that I had as a player." 

Army joined the organization after serving as head coach of the Wheeling Nailers for five years, where he had previously been named team captain during his final two seasons playing for the Nailers. Army collected 37 points in 54 games in his final two seasons before transitioning behind the bench in 2018. 

Army was born into hockey; he and his younger brother, Travis Army, dreamed of playing in the NHL. As a kid, Army would spend time with his grandfather, who was a scorekeeper for the AHL, and he watched his dad, Tim Army, play in the AHL before he moved into a coaching position himself.  

During his coaching career, Tim spent six seasons, predominantly as an assistant coach, with the Colorado Avalanche. Having this connection and familiarity with the organization is part of what made coming to Colorado so enticing to Derek.   
   
"I remember watching him with the Avs," Army said. "You're cheering on the Avs... to win a Stanley Cup. Now to be part of it is very special because it's kind of that full circle."

The move west has been quite the transition for his family. The Army's welcomed their third child a week after Derek accepted the Eagles job. He said his wife, Jennifer, has been his rock throughout the move, and the Army's two older kids quickly took a liking to the Eagles.

Acclimating to a new organization has been a process Army has taken day by day, with one of his primary missions being to help the players improve. 
 
"I just want to come in every day and help every player get better," Army said. "My goal, obviously, is to win a championship. I'd be lying to you if I told you I didn't want to celebrate at the end of the year." 

Letestu said Army's high energy has made coming into this coaching room easy. 

"He is as likeable as it gets," Letestu said. "He has a really positive energy about him, and enthusiasm, youthful enthusiasm. He brings a lot of qualities you want in an assistant coach."  

For Letestu, the toughest part of the move has been the distance from his wife and three kids, who stayed in Cleveland.  

"She's been as supportive as anyone could be, allowing me to pursue a dream," Letestu said. "Sometimes that means making sacrifices, and that's kind of our sacrifice this year." 

Letestu connects with his family daily through FaceTime calls and jokes that the Eagles roster has given him 25 more kids, which has been a lot of fun. 

"I don't just want to be the coach of the hockey team," he said. "I want to be a member of the community, and I think the best way to do that is to get out and be around people and see what it has to offer."  

Both coaches said this is an exciting time for Eagles Country, and this season they want to set a standard of competitiveness and pride.  

"That's what you can expect from our team, there's always going to be a heavy effort," Army said. "We're never going to be out of it; we're always going to be in the fight."