Prospect Info: Jimmy Snuggerud, 23rd Overall, 2022 NHL Draft

[Celtic Note]

I just think we get to caught up with skating. Being a great skater seems to be prized higher than other areas.


i don’t think we can say he has limited creativity or upside. i also think fans tend to overvalue skating, when things like IQ are more important.

Next Year he is off to the NCAA so we will see. I just don’t think we can say he is a Bluesy pick due to skating. Or working hard in all three zones, The kid is a goal scorer really solid shot.

I am not someone who values high end skating as an absolutely essential trait. You can overcome any deficiencies with hockey IQ and drive. See ROR as a prime, albeit lofty example.

I just don’t see the creativity is Snuggles game, at least not from the video I have seen. His hands don’t wow, he makes good plays, but at a bit of a slow pace, he isn’t creating plays in unexpected ways, his speed doesn’t cause him to make something out of nothing. He does make some really nice reads, has strong shooting and passing technical abilities. Nothing about him screams exceptional. But, he has some very strong abilities that look like they would fit in a simple and professional north to south game.

 

[Blueston]

good interview: Snuggerud on rising up draft boards and improving his skating - TSN.ca

 

[Novacain]

Oshie had better hands. Also, a better skater.

I could see a Saad comparison with better passing but slower.

I think our pick is pretty vanilla offensively. He lacks dynamism and creativity, but has hockey IQ, strong technical passing and shooting. Could be a good player, but with limited upside. I think he could be viewed similar to Neighbours.

Can I both agree with this and also be pretty high on the pick? I have faith in our forward development skills, and I think he's a guy who could play on a top line as the 3rd best guy on said line but not dragging that line down type of guy, and that's fine in the late 1st.

Basically, I've noticed the Blues tend to do there best picks when they go after forwards were they aren't considered high risks picks. High compete level guy who can score 20-25 goals and be a good support player for your Thomas's and Kyrou's isn't bad if you aren't convinced anyone on the board can be a Thomas or Kyrou.

 

[DatDude44]

I love it as well. Kulich is the only other Fwd I would’ve wanted. But I think I prefer snugg. We have some potential goal scorers to replace our goal scorers lol

 

[Oberyn]

I'm not the most enthused with this pick but I felt the same way when we drafted Thompson and look at him now.

 

[Beauterham]

I'm okay with the pick. Apart from Yurov, who had that russian-factor going, and Lambert, who's lack of scoring concerns me, there wasn't really someone that fell to us at 23, so you take the best player available. And Snuggerud might very well be that player. Although I would also have been very happy with Kulich or Howard (although we're already stacked on LW's).

 

[BleedBlue14]

Is it just me or do most of the reviews of him sound comparable to David Perron?

I’m not sure if he has the puck protection level if Perron. But the good shot hard battler, average to below average skater but still a solid 3 zone player reminds me of Perron a lot.

 

[BlueDream]

Is it just me or do most of the reviews of him sound comparable to David Perron?

I’m not sure if he has the puck protection level if Perron. But the good shot hard battler, average to below average skater but still a solid 3 zone player reminds me of Perron a lot.

His scouting report to me sounds identical to Tage Thompson, just without the size.

 

[parliamentlite]

I think this sums up recent Blues drafting strategy... get a guy with a big shot and smart makeup then teach him how to skate. Call it the Payako model

 

[Celtic Note]

I don’t really get the Blues-esque pick comments. To me the Blues don’t have a style like they used to under Jarmo. We have shown a great range in our selection of players. Fabbri and Kyrou are very much high skill players with defensive deficiencies, but incredibly dynamic. Thomas was a smaller, pass first guy, but a very well rounded player with elite vision. Neighbours is a big body with a motor and a multi zone player, but limited offensive potential. Kostin was a tools guy, without the hockey sense, but sometimes physically imposing. Thompson was a huge guy with talented hands and shot, but was not physical nor particularly established as a guy who used his teammates well. Bolduc is a shooter with some dynamism, but not a hardcore north/south player.

All of those guys have different traits and strengths. Some of their strengths overlap, but are far from carbon copies.

To me the Blues are looking for guys they see as being pros that can flesh out a roster with diverse skill sets that leverage their unique strengths. If anything they look for guys that make an effort and not just when it’s convenient.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I just think we get to caught up with skating. Being a great skater seems to be prized higher than other areas.


i don’t think we can say he has limited creativity or upside. i also think fans tend to overvalue skating, when things like IQ are more important.

Next Year he is off to the NCAA so we will see. I just don’t think we can say he is a Bluesy pick due to skating. Or working hard in all three zones, The kid is a goal scorer really solid shot.

Had a 2nd round pick Morrisett we traded that was the one of the fastest skaters in his class. Doesn’t always make a player. Good tool for the box though

 

[Mike Liut]

He just turned 18. He has plenty of time to improve his skating. Some reports say he’s 6’2.

 

[tfriede2]

He just turned 18. He has plenty of time to improve his skating. Some reports say he’s 6’2.

Measured at 6’1.25, 188 lbs at the combine. Good size, regardless.

 

[Mike Liut]

Measured at 6’1.25, 188 lbs at the combine. Good size, regardless.

Hopefully he ends up at 6’2 210

 

[bleedblue1223]

I like the pick. I know some say a Bluesy pick isn't a good thing, but we've done very good lately with that, and Bluesy also doesn't mean a 3rd line grinder that can only cycle. Thomas is a very Bluesy pick and he's very much a skill player.

We almost have to rethink what it means to be a Bluesy pick based on some of the recent guys we've taken. Honestly, I think a lot comes down to personality, we like guys that are very passionate hockey players, that might be one reason why Oshie tended to be on the outs with the Army group. That's one thing that I get from a lot of our recent 1st round picks, they are just hockey nuts as opposed to just being an athlete that is very good at the sport. We want someone that is capable in all ends. This doesn't mean we sacrifice offensive production or upside, but we don't want someone who's already on the path of a 1-dimensional player. Then, there's the rest of the talent evaluation.

And sometimes we'll take a swing on a more skilled guy like Bokk and it doesn't work out, but when someone tells me we've made a Bluesy pick, the first thing I think of, is that they are someone that lives and breathes hockey, that it's their true passion. That's the type of culture that they want built here.

 

[LGB]

I like what I've read and seen from this guy. Also like that he's from the USNTDP seems like they've been pumping out a lot of talented players recently.

 

[PocketNines]

It's significant that his teammates clearly see him as the team's most underappreciated player. That means he is a sacrificer, 100%

 

[DatDude44]

He's super smart, has the ability to play with high end players and can flat out make plays. I don't think he's a one trick pony shoot first or pass first type. I know he's lauded for his release which i agree is very very nice. But in my viewings, i just saw an all around quality hockey player. He shoots and can score when given the opportunity, he has patience and playmaking ability to create for teammates as well when given the opportunity and he's smart and hard working away from the puck. He knows how to backcheck/ track through the nz, he understands how to find space offensively and support the puck while not putting himself in bad ice or in a high risk situation.

He isn't a robert thomas or kyrou esque one man play driver through transition type, but if we put him with a C that is a driver, he'll be a fantastic complimentary scoring winger.

To me he's a very safe, smart and quality pick to be at very least a top 9 contributing fwd but most likely a top6 fwd with 30-30 ability which in my opinion, is all you could ask for and more from the 23rd pick in the draft.


My comparison for him is Oshie for all the reasons i stated above. I do think snuggeruds skating is better than oshies (post high ankle agains cbj all those yeas ago) in terms of his edgework and abiltiy to carry speed when changing direction or even just pure shiftiness. I'd say they're straight ahead skating is very comparable too.

I'm starting to get alot more excited for the blues future with names like bolduc, neighbours and snuggerud on the horizon with the core we've already established.

I can't believe folks compliment the skating of guy who spends half the game on his butt!

My dad and I used to count every shift how many times oshie was on his a** lmao

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

It's significant that his teammates clearly see him as the team's most underappreciated player. That means he is a sacrificer, 100%

It was several guys on his team, too. That was a really positive statement.

 

[Bluesguru]

I've only seen some highlights, but they really don't look especially comparable to me. Doesn't mean Snuggerud will end up great, but he's bigger, sturdier, and his defensive game and overall IQ are widely praised. Even if Rattie perhaps had a higher ceiling, it seems like Snuggerud has a way higher floor.

For the record, even though Rattie was dynamic offensively at lower levels, I never really thought of him as a sniper. From what I've seen, I prefer this guy's shot by a significant margin if you're comparing only that aspect straight up.

Somebody compared Snuggles shot to Austin Matthews so I’m sold!

Rattie had no NHL shot at all. None. Zero. He was very disappointing.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Somebody compared Snuggles shot to Austin Matthews so I’m sold!

Rattie had no NHL shot at all. None. Zero. He was very disappointing.

LOL. Rattie….

He got me excited for about a game and a half with the Wolves.

 

[ezcreepin]

Reading that interview with Snuggerud, he sounds like a very mature, determined player. I really like that he identified a weakness (noticeable albeit), decided to work on the north-south game, and got better. Now he's identified he wants to become more shifty and will hopefully improve a great deal in college. Seems like a ROR type of guy where they're going to give 100% no matter the situation and put in the effort to become better players whereas others can coast due to skills. His shot is something I'm excited for, but I'm glad to be building the forward group up as our current core gets a bit older. Lots of talented middle to top 6 forwards in our pool, but we HAVE to get a defenseman soon. Tarasenko seems to be moving, so if you're trading him during free agency then you absolutely have to get a guy who is 20-22 with very high upside who plays the left side. We've picked a lot of LHD in the middle-late rounds the past few years but none of them seem to have that #1 or #2 ceiling, so that's what I'm looking for in trades atm (which no doubt is going to be hard to find).

 

[Brock]

My detailed look at Snuggerud for McKeen's (only for subscribers):

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www.mckeenshockey.com

Tons of video here and a look at the improvements that he has made in his skating.

Happy to answer questions.

 

[BlueMed]

It's significant that his teammates clearly see him as the team's most underappreciated player. That means he is a sacrificer, 100%

Or a guy who is very detail oriented and does a lot of the little things that helps your team win. That's a big reason why Schwartz was admired by our coaching staff.

 

[DatDude44]

Or a guy who is very detail oriented and does a lot of the little things that helps your team win. That's a big reason why Schwartz was admired by our coaching staff.

And look at the playoff schwartz had in 2019....weird how that kind of stuff translates in playoffs..... lol