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Two Blues prospects expected to make the jump to the NHL in 2025-26

Roster spots are scarce, but these two prospects should become NHL regulars by season's end.
ByJoe DeMarini|
Apr 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (21) is congratulated by teammates after assisting on a goal by left wing Jake Neighbours (not pictured) for his first NHL point during the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (21) is congratulated by teammates after assisting on a goal by left wing Jake Neighbours (not pictured) for his first NHL point during the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Blues roster and prospect pool are in an interesting spot at the moment. There's no pressing need for any of the prospects to make the NHL, as the Blues have enough veterans to hold down the fort as the youth movement develops in other leagues.

However, where's the fun in that for fans? We want to see new faces and young players try and stake a claim in the NHL and prove they can be night in, night out roster regulars for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, there are two prospects who should make the full-time jump to the NHL this season: one right out of training camp, and one by the end of the season. There is a total wild card in Justin Carbonneau, but odds are, he isn't a full-time NHL player in 2025-26.

First up is Jimmy Snuggerud, who, yes, it seems silly to consider him a "prospect," but keep in mind: he just turned 21 years old this summer and only played 14 games between the regular season and playoffs in 2024-25. Snuggerud looked good in those games, but he's still very much a prospect--and if he tanks at training camp, there's a world the Blues send him down to the AHL for a few weeks to get his game right before recalling him. He's going to play a lot of NHL games this year; it's just a question of whether it's from the jump or midseason.

The second player, whose path is a bit cloudier, is Dalibor Dvorsky. Dvorsky had a good rookie season in the AHL (21 goals, 45 points), and he'll certainly be in the mix to make the Blues out of training camp, but it's less clear what his role in the NHL would be. Fourth-line minutes for a developing prospect aren't ideal, so Dvorsky would have to be part of the top nine; that means outplaying a veteran like Mathieu Joseph to earn a spot. At 20 years old, Dvorsky is still quite early in his developmental curve, so more time getting big minutes in the AHL may serve him better than limited NHL action--at least, to start the season. If Dvorsky doesn't make the Blues out of camp but, come January, is playing so well in the AHL that he's banging the door down, then there's a good chance he'll get called up and finish the season with the big club.

There are some other players with outside shots to make the Blues out of camp, but Snuggerud and Dvorsky are at the front of the line.

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