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St. Louis Blues Standouts of the Week

Blues’ Standouts of the Week: Hofer, Bjugstad, and Snuggerud

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Andrew Willis | Last updated Jan 18, 2026 1:05 PM ET

The St. Louis Blues only played two games last week. However, they made the most of the time they spent on the ice. The Blues won both games against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. One of these wins saw the team notch its first overtime/shootout win of the season. As we transition to the new week, let’s take a look at the standout players of the week for the Blues.

Standout #3- Jimmy Snuggerud

Jimmy Snuggerud is getting more and more comfortable in an NHL role as the season continues. The Minnesota native scored his seventh goal on Tuesday, which was also his first power-play goal of the season.

What is perhaps more impressive than his goal is his shot totals and time on ice. Snuggerud led the Blues in shots on Tuesday with five. On Friday, he tied for the team lead in shots with four and also finished second among forwards in ice time (19:54).

Snuggerud is the face of the Blues’ youth movement. Seeing him shine against elite opponents is a reminder of how high his ceiling is. Regardless of the direction the rest of the season takes, Snuggerud will get regular playing time and look to build on his success, as he seems poised to become a star in the league.

Standout #2- Nick Bjugstad

Nick Bjugstad went into this week without playing since Dec. 9. The veteran forward returned to the lineup on Tuesday and made an immediate impact. He scored a short-handed goal to open the scoring. The goal turned out to be the game winner. Bjugstad added another goal in Friday’s win. He also found success on the faceoff dot on Friday, winning 68.4% of his draws.

Nick Bjugstad – St. Louis Blues (5)
Shorthanded Goal pic.twitter.com/bhNGyJxJ5p
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) January 14, 2026

Bjugstad has made a career out of providing scoring depth. In 2023-24, he scored 22 goals. His injuries this season will likely prevent him from reaching a 20-goal season, but given the pace he is on (six goals in 27 games), he could record a respectable 13-15 goals.

Standout #1- Joel Hofer

Yes, Joel Hofer is once again on this list, but he certainly deserves his spot. Hofer played in both games this past week. He recorded his fourth shutout of the season on Tuesday, stopping all 33 shots he faced. With the shutout, Hofer continues to lead the Blues in shutouts. Furthermore, he’s now tied for second in the NHL. On Friday, he made 34 saves to help the Blues win their first game post-regulation, as well as end the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 11-game winning streak.

Hofer started the season poorly. However, things have really turned around for the young goaltender. Since Thanksgiving, Hofer has played in 14 games. He has posted an 8-4-0 record with a .927 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts.

Hofer has taken over the starting job in St. Louis. Should the trade talks surrounding Jordan Binnington come to fruition, the starting job may soon be Hofer’s indisputably. His success since Thanksgiving (and two seasons prior) certainly raises the question of whether he is the team’s future starting goalie. We may find out the answer sooner rather than later.

The Week Ahead

After just two games last week, the Blues will be a little busier this week. The week will start with a three-game road trip. The first two games will be in Canada before the team travels to Texas to take on the Dallas Stars. The Blues return home for a game on Saturday that will kick off a four-game homestand.

Do not forget to tune in throughout the week for more Blues coverage. Of course, we will be back here next week to talk about the team’s standout players of the week ahead.