With the St. Louis Blues starting training camp on September 18th, many are starting to circle which players everyone should keep an eye on. One of the main names that keeps being brought up is Jimmy Snuggerud. He's been one of the Blues' most hyped up prospects since being drafted 23rd overall in 2022. NHL.com even ranked him as the top prospect in the Blues system. With his prospect status, plus his impressive NHL stint at the end of last season, the sky seems to be the limit for Snuggerud.
However, while it's perfectly normal to be excited about a prospect, there are concerns about putting too much pressure on him. The expectations for Snuggerud might be getting a little too high. Fans might be putting too much pressure on him to perform, which could be detrimental to his long-term development.
The expectations might be setting Jimmy Snuggerud up to fail
His status as a prospect is not the main reason why fans are so high on Snuggerud. It was the brief stint he had in the NHL last season that has fans so excited. After finishing his collegiate season with Minnesota, Snuggerud made his NHL debut on April 1st. In seven games, he racked up a goal and three assists for four points. He also appeared in the Blues' playoff series against the Jets, registering two goals and two assists in the seven-game series loss.
While this performance was a good first impression and a sign he could become a good NHL player, it's not a guarantee. Anyone can look good in a small sample size. Blues fans should be wondering if he can maintain that performance over an extended period of time, not crowning him the next savior of the franchise. Especially considering he hasn't shown he can do that yet at the professional level. Sure, he looked good at Minnesota, but anyone can tell you the pro game is drastically different than the college level.
If the pressure of being a top prospect wasn't enough, the Blues added more by moving Zack Bolduc. During the offseason, the Blues moved the young forward for defenseman Logan Mailloux. One of the reasons they did this was because they felt Snuggerud would fill the hole he left on the forward core. This is not an easy task, as Bolduc was establishing himself as one of the better young forwards in hockey. In 72 games last season, Bolduc registered 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points.
Whether it's fair or not, that is the floor Snuggerud has to live up to. At worst, he needs to be as good as Bolduc was last season. This creates added pressure to Snuggerud because he's constantly going to be compared to Bolduc. This leaves no margin for error because if Snuggerud gets off to a slow start, fans will turn on him quickly. Why move a proven young talent for someone who could've been a good player?
Fans should be excited to watch Snuggerud in the NHL. He's a player with immense upside who could become one of the top players in the sport. However, fans have to be careful not to put too much pressure on him.