Blues Top Prospect to Make NHL Debut

In the middle of a nine-game winning streak, the St. Louis Blues are instilling fear into the rest of the playoff field. They are playing better than any other team in the NHL, and their roster is set to receive another jolt with regular-season games remaining.

The Blues wasted no time getting their top prospect, Jimmy Snuggerud, under contract after completing his NCAA career. After the University of Minnesota was eliminated, the Blues inked Snuggerud to his entry-level contract the following day.

In addition to signing his first NHL contract, Snuggerud is expected to make his NHL debut. He joined St. Louis for practice and is getting his feet wet with the club. The team's head coach, Jim Montgomery, didn't confirm the rookie's debut but did praise his skillset and work ethic.

"Potentially," he said. "He had a good practice, will talk it over with the staff, but there's some quality talent that we've acquired and is going to make us deeper, better. His hockey sense, his game management, his puck play was really good. His hands are exceptional, his skating is NHL speed. Those are things you're looking to see, but the biggest thing is the brain, that he thinks it so well."

If Snuggerud does play, the Blues will be getting another offensively gifted forward. As a junior in the NCAA, he earned a place as a Hobey Baker top-10 finalist after recording 24 goals and 27 assists in just 40 games. As Montgomery stated, he's an incredibly intelligent player who can combine his speed and offensive IQ effectively at all times. With the Blues still trying to clinch their playoff spot and fend off the other Wild Card hopefuls in the West, the addition and debut of Snuggerud could be a huge boost for the home stretch.