The last time a member of the St. Louis Blues organization won the Calder Memorial Trophy was back in 2003 when Barret Jackman won it. He is the only player in 58 years to win that hardware.
Now, there is a chance for the second player in Blues history to get their hand on it. Jimmy Snuggerud has gotten his first full season off to a hot start, and this team is certainly benefiting from it.
Can he become the second player in Blues history to take home the rookie of the year? Is this just the initial stepping stone to a very successful career?
Off to a great start
Snuggeruds initial placement in the lineup was on the first line alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. But, because Jake Neighbours decided to be an unexpected surprise in the early part of this season, the two swapped spots.
Head coach Jim Montgomery has been tinkering with the lineup sheet a lot so far, some things have worked and some things have not. Now, Snuggerud is on the second line, with Jordan Kyrou manning the third line right wing spot.
In five games this season, No. 21 has lit the lamp for three goals, which included his first career multi-goal game against Vancouver on October 13. He has also added an assist as well, giving him a total of four points on the year.
Rookies around the league
Looking around the NHL, there are a number of young up-and-coming stars that are making as big of an impact as Snuggerud has. Namely, the first overall selection of the 2025 NHL Draft, New York Islanders defensman Matthew Schaefer. He has set a bunch of rookie records and milestones that have never been touched.
It will be a tough class of rookies for Snuggerud to go up against. But, with the unwavering confidence of Montgomery, General Manager Doug Armstrong and his teamates, there is a case for him to set himself apart from the pack. It is a long season ahead, but as of now Snuggerud is finding his stride early, which the Blues brass knew he would.