One of the biggest reasons Blues fans are excited for the 2026-27 season is the amount of young talent on the roster. Guys like Mason McTavish, Dylan Holloway, and Dalibor Dvorsky are under the age of 25 and have very high upside for the team. But out of all the young players, the one that Blues fans seem more excited for is Jimmy Snuggerud. He is coming off a very solid rookie campaign and is seen as a foundational piece for the Blues. He played so well that he should be an assistant captain next season
Why Jimmy Snuggerud should wear a letter next season
As mentioned before, Snuggerud is coming off a very solid rookie campaign. In 70 games, he racked up 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points. He was just the seventh rookie in Blues history to record 50 or more points in a season. He also earned all-rookie team honors and finished fifth in the Calder. He also put up solid advanced numbers. According to Natural Stat Trick, he had a 47.60 CF%, a 50.38 SCF%, and a 49.14 xG%.
He recorded most of these numbers after the Olympic break. In the 25 games after the NHL resumed, he had 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points. Snuggerud's hot streak also coincided with the Blues' best stretch of the season. After the Olympic break, the Blues had a record of 17-5-3, one of the best marks in the NHL. It's clear that the Blues are a better team when Snuggerud is producing offensively.
This makes many feel that he needs to be the top-line forward for the future. He is seen as someone the Blues can build their offensive core around and be one of the faces of the franchise. Putting an A on his jersey will only cement that thought even more. He would quickly become the leader of the young core and be the face of the next era of Blues hockey. A role he has earned given his early success.
Giving him this responsibility early will help build the team's new identity. With such a young core of players, there are going to be growing pains. It is going to take time for these guys to develop chemistry and build the locker room atmosphere needed to compete in the NHL. Establishing a leader early will help eliminate some of those growing pains. It will give this group someone to rally behind and an example to follow.
Although it may seem early to give Snuggerud such a role, there is no better time than right now. It's a gesture that can help build the winning culture the Blues have been missing.
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