This season was a whirlwind for Jimmy Snuggerud. And while he was only with the St. Louis Blues for five weeks, that stretch at the end of the season provided an invaluable opportunity for the 20-year-old to develop both on and off the ice.
"Honestly it was the best experience of my life," Snuggerud said after the season ended.
The forward signed his NHL contract in late March, one day after his University of Minnesota squad was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. He left college hockey with 135 points in 119 games, three All-Big Ten Conference selections and as a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. But, most importantly, ready to take the next step in his career.
He made his NHL debut on April 1, collected his first NHL point on April 3 and netted his first NHL goal on April 15. He entered the lineup and he stayed there, a spot Head Coach Jim Montgomery made clear that he earned.
"[GM] Doug Armstrong tells me to play the best players," Montgomery said. "And whether they're 20 years old or they're 35 years old, that's who we play. Snuggerud and [Zack] Bolduc deserve to play because they're that good."
Snuggerud ended the regular season with four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games before adding an additional four points (two goals, two assists) in seven playoff games. He spent much of that on the top line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, averaging 17:05 per game in the postseason.
"Very impressed with the young man," Montgomery said. "His hockey sense is off the charts. And I think, with a really good summer, putting on some lean muscle mass, he's just going to be better."
The adjustment to pro life was just as smooth off the ice. Instead of a hotel, the rookie lived with 16-year NHL veteran Brayden Schenn. And, even in the early days, he was immediately impressed with the environment that the captain and his Blues teammates had built this season.
"The amount of respect that I have for the guys in that locker room and the coaching staff is unbelievable," Snuggerud said. "Just from the day I stepped foot in this rink, every single guy has been the nicest to me, even when I make mistakes. I'm trying to learn things, it's bringing me up. Every single little thing that could've went right, learning from these guys, has went right. It's a great experience."
Unfortunately the Gophers and Blues seasons ended similarly, with disappointing overtime losses in the postseason. It could be a lot for one player to handle in a short span. But for Snuggerud it's motivation to come back even stronger next year in what will be his first full season of pro hockey.
"Losing twice in the same season is not fun; it's more than you want to lose in one season," Snuggerud said. "But you learn so much as a player and that's what you use for fuel for fire in the summer to train and get better."
