While the St. Louis Blues ended the season in disappointing fashion, with a mediocre 37-33-12 record and 86 points in the standings, there were bright spots to be found alongside all the disappointments. Three players, in particular, took impressive steps forward--enough to believe they could be part of the next great Blues roster given their age and developmental path.
Philip Broberg
We'll start with the big one. After a solid but unspectacular first season with the Blues after signing a two-year offer sheet, turned into a bona fide top-pair defenseman. His 34 points led Blues defensemen in scoring, as did his 23:21 average ice time. He was also the only regular Blues defenseman to finish with a positive goal differential: plus-14.
Broberg's still only 24 years old, so it's likely he's still got some new heights to reach. His six year, $8-million AAV contract extension kicks in next season and, with the cap going up and Broberg's continued growth, it could turn out to be quite a steal.
Joel Hofer
Things looked pretty rocky for Hofer early in the season and, between him and Jordan Binnington, the Blues were icing the worst goaltending tandem in the NHL. Hofer caught fire after the Olympic break, though, going 12-2-2 with a sparkling .931 SV%--enough to buoy his season save percentage up to .909.
There should be no question that the 25-year old netminder is the goalie of the future for the Blues. Next year, he should assume the full-time starting role.
Jimmy Snuggerud
Ok, maybe we're cheating a little by including Snuggerud in an article about players taking steps forward when this was his rookie season. However, after a rather pedestrian first half of the season, Snuggerud poured it on after the Winter Olympic break, to the tune of 11 goals and 27 points 25 games, and a sterling plus-25 goal differential.
That sort of midseason jump makes him a worthy inclusion, and it's exciting to think what he'll be capable of next year. If Snuggerud's late-season hot streak was his first step to stardom, we could be in for a treat in 2026-27.
Add us as a preferred source on Google