For years, the Blues' identity was tied to the players who defined the last era. Thirteen games into the 2026-27 season, a different group now sets the tone. Mason McTavish, Dylan Holloway, and Jimmy Snuggerud have combined for 16 of the team's 39 goals and 30 points. All three are 25 or younger, and the Blues' offense now runs through them.
A new offensive core taking shape
Holloway is leading the team with 11 points on three goals and eight assists, playing nearly 17:45 a night. McTavish was next in the trio with 10 points, and Snuggerud added nine. Blues team captain Robert Thomas put up nine points of his own, but the pace was set by the younger group around him.
A brief look under the hood shows that the scoring totals do not lie. When Holloway, McTavish, and Snuggerud are on the ice at even strength, the Blues controlled the puck and generated more chances than they did without them. At even strength, Holloway made the biggest difference (plus-3.9 relative), followed by McTavish (plus-2.6) and Snuggerud (plus-1.8). That is not typical for a team that finished the opening month of the season with a 6-6-1 record, but instead could suggest that the team's offense is built on speed and pressure rather than a few lucky bounces that could go their way.
McTavish bringing volume, Snuggerud bringing the finish
With 41 shots on goal through the first 13 games of the season, McTavish was the most active shooter on the squad. He scored six goals with a 14.6 shooting percentage that looks sustainable, hovering just above his 12.4 career rate. The newest center for the team also won 51.4 percent of his faceoffs and averaged just under 16 minutes of time on ice each game. McTavish is already looking like a foundational piece for the Blues organization, fitting in nicely with the long-term deal he is signed to through the 2030-31 season.
Snuggerud's numbers are a bit more eye-popping, but could be less sustainable. His seven goals this season have led the team, but they only came on 29 shots, at a 24.1 percent rate that should come back down unless he starts to average more than two shots on goal per game. The encouraging sign is that he has not been removed from the top line, the power play is on the rise, and he should continue to be given opportunities to succeed on a nightly basis.
What the identity looks like going forward
The next step for this Blues squad is consistency. The 38 goals allowed by the Blues this season are below league average, but could still use some work, given the fact that they have also only scored 39 goals. These players are a work in progress as they refine their two-way games.
Still, the early play from these forwards is encouraging. Between the new additions and Snuggerud's emergence as a potential 30-plus goal scorer, the Blues have a forward group that can score, and its best players are only getting started. If the trio can continue to produce at this level, the question of who will lead the next era of Blues hockey is already being answered.
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