At 23 years old, Jake Neighbours is entering his fourth season as a regular NHL player. In that time, he's scored 56 goals and 96 points in 211 career games. That's not bad, but Neighbours has to show something more to solidify himself as a true top-six option, and not just an offense-only third-line winger--those are a dime a dozen in the NHL.
To reach that potential, a good start would be cracking 30 goals--no easy task if you're not getting consistent first-unit power play time. The second important factor is Neighbours' defensive play, which trended the wrong way last season despite a plus-minus of zero (the first time in his career he finished a season not in the negatives).
Neighbours has two seasons left on his bridge deal, carrying a cap hit of $3.75-million AAV. That's plenty of time for him to step up and show he can play in the top six and deserves minutes on the first power play, but the clock is absolutely ticking. With Justin Carbonneau in the fold after the draft, plus Jimmy Snuggerud's entry into the NHL conversation, and Dylan Holloway's ascendence, Neighbours has to show he belongs in St. Louis--there's never been stiffer competition for him during his time with the Blues.
That's the bad news. The good news is that Neighbours seemed to surge under Jim Montgomery and have really benefited from the coaching change. If Neighbours can continue producing under Montgomery and clean up his defensive play, there's no reason for him not to crack 30 goals. Add in a strong playoff performance (six points in seven games against the Winnipeg Jets), and there's a path for Neighbours to have a long career with the Blues. He just needs to go out and earn it, starting with 30 goals and better play driving next season.