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

[Linkens Mastery]

Well dang. Now I gotta make him in NHL 25 next year too. I was hoping I could be lazy.

 

[ExtraExtra888]

I think the most frustrating thing for me is that it's another year of not getting to see him in training camp. That's 3 straight years of him not getting to develop chemistry or a relationship with any of his future teammates. I doubt Armstrong is happy about this decision.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Charter planes and college girls and friends is appealing.


The team around him will be mostly the same. So if he has a poor season are you going to bring that excuse back out?

There are strong rumors that Matthew Wood is transferring from Uconn to Minnesota. Not sure that helps Snuggerud but his overall supporting cast will be much improved, with a great shot at winning the title.

 

[Majorityof1]

NIL has not hit hockey big time yet. Cooley literally got paid in burritos on one of his deals. For good NIL money, you either play Football or Basketball, or you have a HUGE social media following. Snuggy may make $10k to 20k which on top of free room, board, food and other perks through scholarship isn't bad. But it isn't AHL money.

Also, he'd be eligible for call ups to make NHL money for a few days. Dean is making just shy of $5k per day, even on off days, for 6 minutes of play.

 

[Bonin21]

There are strong rumors that Matthew Wood is transferring from Uconn to Minnesota. Not sure that helps Snuggerud but his overall supporting cast will be much improved, with a great shot at winning the title.

I would not expect both to land on the same line as neither is the best skater. My current prediction if that happens.

Pitlick-Moore-Wood
Kurth-Pahlson-Snuggerud

 

[Spektre]

Well on his way to UFA

 

[TheOrganist]

Lame. Then again Oshie went back for his Junior year and he came out NHL ready.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Jimmy is coming back to the Gophers. Right decision. Think his dad helped him see it was needed.

Need to see a refreshed energy and effort next season.

Well on his way to UFA

I remember when Oshie went back for his junior year at UND and people wanted him shipped out for anything because it "proved" that Oshie wasn't committed to the NHL, looking to take the easy route, ... all that stuff.

Including, "he'll never suit up for the Blues."

Lame. Then again Oshie went back for his Junior year and he came out NHL ready.

Right. This could mean he jumps straight into the NHL when he comes out, which wouldn't be a terrible thing.

It does change the calculus a bit on what next year's roster looks like. But, that's part of the retool refocus regroup going on. Besides, Doug's actuary table told him when Snuggerud will play his 11th game, 50th game, whatever, so it's all part of the master plan.

 

[Robb_K]

I'm sorry to find out Jimmy will play for The gophers again next season. I hope he won't get to free agency and decide to play for a different NHL team than The Blues. That would be a major loss for us. I'd rather have had him get better seasoning on The AHL level, perhaps with a couple trials with The Blues.

 

[mk80]

It is a long term gain, short term loss in my pov. Another year of development could allow him to get his game to an NHL ready level for when he does come in after the Gophers season.

I don’t expect him to pull the college free agent move. Nor is this decision written in stone, albeit a different situation but Logan Cooley committed to staying in school before pivoting to the Coyotes during the summer

 

[542365]

As long as he signs with the Blues after his college career is over, I don’t really care. It’d be fun to see him ripping one timers on the powerplay though.

 

[PocketNines]

WOW, just caught up to this. Writing noir reviews and making a shrimp bake and missed this news. Completely misread his eagerness to get into the NHL. Big old question mark now, not great Bob

 

[Stealth JD]

Meh. Much ado about nothing. I don’t know that he adds much to STL next year; he’d score a few with his big shot and give up a few with his inexperience. The reps at the NHL level would be nice; some on the job training in a year the Blues aren’t contenders. But if Army is eyeing a return to the playoffs, I don’t know that Snuggerud helps with that. Better to let him refine his game in the NCAA then the AHL, before debuting in ‘25-‘26 - maybe alongside Stenberg or Dvorsky.

 

[Mike Liut]

He realizes he’s not ready for the nhl and wants to play another year in college. I don’t see a problem here. He’ll sign next year

 

[Majorityof1]

A lot of people are absolutely 100% confident he will sign next year. A lot of people were 100% confident he'd be in the NHL this year too. Anything can change. I don't think it's likely he pushes to UFA. But until we sign him, it is a non-zero chance. Aside from blind confidence and a puff-piece interview, what makes y'all so sure?

Also for people saying this is good because he can develop, why can't he develop in the AHL against men, over a longer season under a coach we choose?

 

[ArenaRat]

In today's article in the Athletic, the reasons he gives JR sound legit to me. He is critical of his own performance this year, had unfinished business there, and wants to prove he can lead a team for a full season. He credits the Blues staff for having his best interests at heart. I don't see a reason to not take him at his word at this point -- he clearly has solid family influences and doesn't seem like a me-first type. I think this could be very positive for his development.

 

[Majorityof1]

In today's article in the Athletic, the reasons he gives JR sound legit to me. He is critical of his own performance this year, had unfinished business there, and wants to prove he can lead a team for a full season. He credits the Blues staff for having his best interests at heart. I don't see a reason to not take him at his word at this point -- he clearly has solid family influences and doesn't seem like a me-first type. I think this could be very positive for his development.

I don't disagree. But what would he say if he was unsure about signing with the Blues because we are a mess, and he wanted to wait a year and see who the coach is going to be and what moves we make? It would be the same. Maybe I'm too cynical but I never take peoole I don't know at their word. Trust but verify and plan for the worst.

 

[Thallis]

He realizes he’s not ready for the nhl and wants to play another year in college. I don’t see a problem here. He’ll sign next year

I guarantee you this is not his thought process. He had an NHL spot on the table now, and the staff is confident in him. At his age and experience the concept of NHL ready is just a thing pundits say. Being unsatisfied with his season and falling short is believable motivation for a 20 year old. "I'm not NHL ready" is not. It's simply a level of self awareness that contradicts what everyone in his life is telling him.

 

[Cotton McKnight]

I don't disagree. But what would he say if he was unsure about signing with the Blues because we are a mess, and he wanted to wait a year and see who the coach is going to be and what moves we make? It would be the same. Maybe I'm too cynical but I never take peoole I don't know at their word. Trust but verify and plan for the worst.

I'd say the same thing as Snuggerud if I was wanting to wait and see if I need to jump ship.

 

[LGB]

Wish he would have come out. Better to overcook guys in the lower ranks than undercook them though. Hopefully he's able to find linemates he has more chemistry with next season and signs with us at the end of the year for a playoff push.

 

[Mike Liut]

I guarantee you this is not his thought process. He had an NHL spot on the table now, and the staff is confident in him. At his age and experience the concept of NHL ready is just a thing pundits say. Being unsatisfied with his season and falling short is believable motivation for a 20 year old. "I'm not NHL ready" is not. It's simply a level of self awareness that contradicts what everyone in his life is telling him.

I don’t think Army guaranteed him anything.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I don’t think Army guaranteed him anything.

Snuggerud said that the Blues laid it out “very well” and acknowledged that their plan was for him to play in the NHL this season.

 

[Thallis]

Snuggerud said that the Blues laid it out “very well” and acknowledged that their plan was for him to play in the NHL this season.

Armstrong has also said earlier in the season that he was excited to see Snuggerud play for the Blues this season.

 

[Spektre]

Armstrong has also said earlier in the season that he was excited to see Snuggerud play for the Blues this season.

Evidently Army didn't have this Junior year on his actuary table

 

[Brian39]

I'm surprised that he is going back for a junior year and it reduces the level of confidence I have that he will eventually play for the Blues. However, I wouldn't say that it destroys my confidence or puts me any where near a panic about him trying to get out of our organization.

He still has a lot to gain financially to sign next spring (assuming we are fine burning 2024/25 on his ELC) vs staying in college for his senior year. There should be zero doubt about his ability to stick in the NHL in 2025/26, so the potential of 'only' making a couple hundred grand that season is pretty low.

I think the right financial decision for him right now would have been to sign an ELC right away to burn this season, but I get that there is likely some concern from his camp that he would bounce between the NHL and AHL next year and limit his real-dollar earnings. That concern should be gone for 2025/26 and they should comfortably be able to assume that playing his senior year would leave $1M of tangible earnings fully on the table. I think staying for his senior year would be a much worse financial decision than staying for his junior year, even before you start thinking about injury risk.

My lawyer brain that views everything as a negotiation is wondering whether Snuggy's camp is using this as an effort to try and get some kind of concession out of the Blues. I'm still pretty confident that Cooley was trying to get something out of the Coyotes when he announced a return to the Gophers. If Snuggy's agent family advisor isn't happy with something about the Blues offer, this would be the exact play to put pressure on Army to budge.

His dad is a former NHLer who understands that it is a business. He wouldn't be the first son of an NHL player that treats his first contract as a business decision instead of being happy to sign the first thing put in front of him. More power to him if that's the case. Players should exercise every inch of leverage available.

With all that said, this also very well could be a personal decision based on a love for the Gophers. His dad also played 3 years at the University of Minnesota and failed to win a national championship despite going to the Frozen 4 all 3 years. His grandpa also played for the Gophers and never won a national championship. Odds are pretty good that he was a bigger Gopher fan growing up than any other team. Minnesota is in a 2 decade national championship drought and they lost in OT of the championship game his freshman year.

I would very much believe that bringing a National Championship to Minnesota has been his biggest hockey dream since childhood and that he is willing to delay his NHL career and leave legit money on the table to try and accomplish it.