Derek Thomas Krueger

Derek Thomas Krueger, age 47, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly on October 28, 2025. A beloved husband, father, coach, and friend, Derek—affectionately known as “Coach Krueger”—leaves a legacy of leadership, loyalty, and love felt by his family, friends, and the entire Wayzata and Minnesota hockey community.

Derek was born on August 6, 1978, and grew up in the Apple Valley, Minnesota area, where he attended high school and competed in multiple sports. It was there that Derek met his wife Lisa, and they became high school sweethearts. After graduating from high school, Derek played junior hockey in Montana and later attended San Diego Golf Academy in Arizona.

Following his time at SDGA, Derek worked as an assistant golf pro and built homes across the Phoenix Valley. Eventually, Derek would be drawn back to Minnesota to pursue his true passion—coaching hockey. While in Minnesota, he launched and operated his own home repair and construction business, serving homeowners across the Twin Cities for many years.

On September 28, 2012, Derek and Lisa were married and began to build a family together. Their marriage was blessed with four amazing kids, and they eventually settled within the Wayzata school district.

For the Krueger family, hockey is life. For more than a decade, Derek was a cornerstone of Wayzata Youth Hockey—beginning with Squirts and Peewees and later serving many successful seasons as Head Coach of the Bantam AA team. Derek’s devotion to the program was astounding—it was nearly impossible not to see Coach Krueger at Plymouth Ice Center on any given night—and his success was undeniable. Derek led multiple Peewee and Bantam AA teams to state tournament appearances (most recently in 2024), and in 2021, his team won the Minnesota Bantam AA State Championship.

More than wins and banners, Derek believed his greatest accomplishment was instilling in his players an enduring love for the game and preparing them for the next level, both of which he did with remarkable success for many years. Numerous players developed by Coach Krueger moved on to successful careers in high school, junior, college and professional hockey. Derek was everything you wanted in a coach: passionate, competitive, and driven, yet deeply empathetic and encouraging when it mattered most. Derek also played to win, but his coaching style always put players and development first. He had a big heart, a steady presence, and an unwavering belief in every kid who laced up their skates. Players respected, trusted, and loved him—and the hockey community loved him back.

Beyond the ice, Derek was a mentor and friend to countless players, parents, and families. Derek was thoughtful and funny with a smile to remember, but also brutally honest with those around him. Derek’s willingness to “tell it like it is” was something his family admired and adored. Derek cherished time with his family and was incredibly involved in their lives. He was a devoted husband and father who was routinely seen coaching his kids’ teams or cheering them on from the stands. Derek and Lisa were together for thirty-two incredible years and always unequivocally supported one another no matter what the circumstances. He was the rock of the Krueger family—and for Derek, family always came first, and it showed.

Derek also loved the outdoors, golf, fishing, and days at the lake, and of course, socializing with his friends and hockey families both day and night. Derek’s closest friends will remember the out-of-town bus trips, dice games, daily phone calls, the long and rewarding conversations about hockey and life—and most importantly, the way his presence and smile lit up any room and guaranteed a laugh. Simply put, people loved talking to and spending time with Derek, and the relationships he developed were meaningful and lasting.

It has long been said that “a life that touches others goes on forever.” While Derek left us far too soon, his impact will be lasting and profound, and he will never be forgotten.

Derek is survived by his loving wife, Lisa, and their four wonderful children: Kallie (12), Karsten (11), Kade (9), and Kaylin (5)—all of whom were the center of his world and will love and remember him forever. Derek is also survived by his mother Julie Rohling, his father Tom Krueger, his grandmother Joanne Krueger, and his grandparents Roger and Ann Juaire, as well as the countless players and families who he influenced over the course of his coaching career. Derek was preceded in death by his grandfather Vernon Krueger.

Coach Krueger’s Celebration of Life will occur on November 26, 2025 at one of the places he loved the most, Plymouth Ice Center, 3650 Plymouth Blvd, Plymouth, Minnesota 55446, where we will honor the legacy Derek created and remember and celebrate the man we all loved and will dearly miss.

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – Memorial and Social Gathering – Center Ice Room, Plymouth Ice Center

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm – Open Skate for Kids and Former Players – Rink A, Plymouth Ice Center

To make a contribution to the family through gofundme, please click the link below.  

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