A Closer Look at Jake Neighbours and his future with the St. Louis Blues
By David Crum
At only 22 years old, Jake Neighbours is quite young.
St. Louis Blues fans saw the most of him in the 2023-24 season, in which he played in 77 games, highlighted by his 27 goals. His goal count matches Pavel Buchnevich's, making him the third-highest scorer on the team.
Neighbours last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues
2021-22: 9 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points. 9:19 average time on ice.
2022-23: 43 games, 6 goals, 4 assists, 10 points. 12:25 average time on ice.
2023-24: 77 games, 27 goals, 11 assists, 38 points. 15:42 average time on ice.
The performance of Neighbours this season was significantly better, especially in terms of scoring.
While he hasn't been explicitly touted as a rising star or a long-term scoring solution, all signs suggest a promising future with the St. Louis Blues, with his potential to develop a more vital role and see more ice time.
Considering his impressive productivity and young age, it might be a good idea to initiate negotiations with Neighbours in order to secure his services for a few more years.
GM Doug Armstrong has been busy the past several weeks, offering entry-level contracts to former first—and third-round draft picks. Neighbours is possibly one of the most underappreciated players on the roster. He has proven himself at the NHL level, making a valid argument for his next contract extension.
While Armstrong may contemplate adopting a wait-and-see method, this could be a fatal error.
Neighbours has increased his playtime and achieved positive stats for the past three seasons.
To maximize Neighbours' growth, extending his contract for another two to three years would be best and having Drew Bannister continue to refine his aggressive playstyle near the net.
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