[1] A "stay-at-home defender,"[citation needed] Snepsts played his junior hockey for the Edmonton Oil Kings and was selected 59th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1974 NHL amateur draft.
He would quickly become a fan favourite for his hard-working, effective, blue-collar defensive game as well as his likeable personality and large moustache.
His physical, error-free brand of hockey saw him selected to the NHL All-Star Game in 1977 and 1982, and he was named the club's top defender four times in five years between 1977 and 1982.
Snepsts, along with goalie Richard Brodeur, was the heart-and-soul of the team defensively and was a tower of strength during the playoff run.
He would have a better year in 1983–84, but at the end of the season was a victim of General Manager Harry Neale's youth movement on the blueline and, in a highly unpopular move,[citation needed] was dealt to the Minnesota North Stars.
He left Vancouver as the club's all-time leader in games played and penalty minutes, although Stan Smyl would break those records a few years later.
The resulting off-season surgery forced him to miss the first half of the 1987–88 season, although he returned to help the Wings reach the Campbell Conference finals for the second consecutive year.
[7] Following his retirement, Snepsts remained with the St. Louis organization and became head coach of their top minor-league affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen of the International Hockey League.
He signed on as head coach of the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL for the 1998–99, but inherited a rebuilding team and was fired midway through his second season.