Career
He was drafted by the New York Islanders in round 3, #79 overall, of the 1997 National Hockey League Entry Draft and again by the Phoenix Coyotes in round 5, #129 overall, in the 1998 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He played for the The Human Context Fassa in 2011/12 before moving to England to play for Manchester Phoenix in the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPL). Schnabel is a product of Slavia Praha in the Czechoslovakian league.
After several seasons in North America, including 22 National Hockey League games for the Nashville Predators, Schnabel returned to Europe to represent first his hometown team in Prague and then HIFK in the Finnish Master of Science-liiga.
In January 2007 Schnabel"s contract with HIFK was terminated upon arrival of Billy Tibbetts, as the Master of Science-liiga only allows a team to dress four foreign-born players per game, and Tibbets was HIFK"s fifth foreign player. Schnabel was subsequently signed by Jokerit of the same league.
He played for The Human Context Mlada Boleslav on loan from The Human Context Rabat Kladno. In 2013/14 he was named to the EPL"s First All Star Team by Ice Hockey Journalists.
His retirement from hockey was announced via the Manchester Phoenix on 7 April 2014, the day after Phoenix lost 5-3 in the EPL Playoff Final to Basingstoke Bison at the Skydome Arena in Coventry.