Jimmy Snuggerud

November 2022 – The Blues’ first round pick at this past summer’s draft has been performing quite well in his freshman season with the Gophers. Snuggerud has taken no time to adjust to the NCAA game. In 12 games, he currently leads the team in goals and points with eight and 12 respectively. He has also found himself on a line with top prospects Matthew Knies and Logan Cooley. We will see if his production continues throughout the course of the season but the early signs are very encouraging. Gordon Munro

July 2022 – The St. Louis Blues have selected Snuggerud with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

October 2021 – Snuggerud had a solid 2020-21 campaign with the USNTDP U17 squad, scoring 15 goals and 17 assists in 45 games, but didn’t begin his draft year with the same level of acclaim as some of his fellow draft hopefuls from the program. Through the early part of the 2021-22 season, however, he has been one of the biggest offensive contributors on the U18 team with three goals and seven assists through his first seven games, and his name is beginning to climb up draft boards. Snuggerud is committed to the University of Minnesota where he will begin his collegiate career in 2022-23.

Sunggerud plays a hard-driving, powerful game that combines strength, skill, and speed. Standing at 6-2, he skates quite well for his size and can beat defenders off the rush. He generates speed through the neutral zone, carries the puck out in front of his body to keep his options open, and can handle the puck skillfully at full speed. Snuggerud’s wrist shot is a dangerous weapon that he can use to beat goaltenders from distance but he isn’t shy about going to the net either. He protects the puck well, keeping defenders on his back as he gets into scoring areas, and when he doesn’t have possession, he does well to drive the middle lane and create space while positioning himself at the net-front. In addition to his wrist shot, Snuggerud’s heavy one-timer makes him a threat from the half-wall with the man advantage. He drifts in and out of space, readying himself for a shooting opportunity, and get’s all of his weight into the shot. On top of his goal-scoring prowess, he has become a more effective distributor as well. He is composed with the puck and sees the ice well, able to identify his options and complete difficult passes through layers of coverage. Already possessing several pro-level scoring traits, Snuggerud has the potential to develop into a multi-faceted offensive weapon in the NHL. Nick Richard