The Athletic recently released its Under-25 All-NHL team, and it was a fantastic roster. Dare I say, a playoff-contending, possible Stanley Cup-winning squad.
A top-six featuring Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Jack Hughes, and Matt Boldy is lethal to say the least. But, there might be one player who did not deserve to be around those elite players, but might have earned a spot on the squad itself.
That player is a rising star for the St. Louis Blues and is an important part of the future of this franchise. The upcoming success, or failure, is riding on this kid.
Let's talk about it.
Jimmy Snuggerud
There is definitely a case for Jimmy Snuggerud to be a part of this under-25 team, and thankfully, he was mentioned in this piece by Athletic Staff Writer Scott Wheeler and Senior Writer Corey Pronman. They placed No. 21 on the unofficial All-NHL second-team for players under the age of 25.
For a line combo, he sits perfectly with Frank Nazar of Chicago and William Eklund of San Jose. What a lethal trio that could be with speed and shooting power.
Snuggeud was a lightning rod for the Blues this season, his first full campaign as an NHL player. The 21-year-old took the playoff push and then first-round appearance in 2024-25 to heart, and it really helped him develop into a solid and consistent player this year.
With 21 goals and 29 assists, he reached the 50-point plateau, which was not really expected from him. We all knew he had some really high expectations, which were prevelent for this entire team. But Snuggerud was the only player to really overshoot his expectation. Everyone else fell very short.
The Athletic put together a list of the game's up-and-coming brightest stars, and they will carry the torch for the next era. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are nearing the end of their careers, and Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are taking the mantle for now. But, eventually, Celebrini and Bedard are going to be the two rivals who will compete for every record in the book.
Snuggerud has gotten off to a great start, and potentially, he could join the likes of those listed above. For now, finishing the 2025-26 season on a high note, and then continuing it next season is the priority.
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