A future NHLer is electing to stay in school.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that St. Louis Blues forward prospect Jimmy Snuggerud will return to the University of Minnesota for his junior season.
Snuggerud was selected 23rd overall by the Blues in the 2022 NHL Draft, and is very high up on many people’s boards on being a future impact player for the franchise.
However, that will have to wait.
The Chaska, Minnesota native returns to a team that will have high hopes heading into the 2024-25 campaign. The Golden Gophers came a goal away from winning the NCAA National Championship in 2023, and were knocked out by Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson and the rest of the Boston Terriers in the Sioux Falls Regional Final this past weekend.
Snuggerud has been an important asset with Minnesota in his first two seasons. The 19-year-old finished tied for the most points in the Big Ten Conference as a freshman two seasons ago, when he scored 50 points in 40 games. This season, he is a Hobey Baker nominee after scoring 34 points in 39 appearances.
Snuggerud also has gained success on the international stage, helping the U.S. take home bronze at the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2023, before helping the Americans take home gold in Sweden this past January.
He has two more years of NCAA eligibility, which would carry through the end of the 2025-26 season. If Snuggerud were to wait that long before making the jump to the NHL, the Blues would have to sign him by Aug. 15, 2026, or risk losing him as a free agent.
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