A "stay-at-home defender," 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 made a strong impression during his first training camp, and appeared in 27 games for the Canucks in 1974–75, recording his first NHL goal. In 1975–76, he became a regular for the Canucks, appearing in 78 games and recording three goals and 18 points. 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.