Jimmy Snuggerud will command more than $10 million annually on his next contract, according to reporter Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic . The rising winger could be a star in St. Louis, where he has the potential to be part of the team's next core.
Rutherford speculated on Snuggerud's next deal as part of a question-and-answer piece for fans.
Snuggerud, 22, just finished his first full season in the NHL. He scored 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 70 games. He comprised one-third of an extremely promising line that has given Blues fans some hope heading into next season, joining fellow winger Dylan Holloway and center Robert Thomas to form one of the most lethal lines in the NHL.
The Blues drafted the 6-foot-1, 193-pound winger with the 23rd overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Snuggerud was a point-per-game player for the junior U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in his draft year. He also scored a tremendous 63 points in 59 games for the U.S. National U18 Team that year. Jimmy Snuggerud followed up this success by becoming an immediate scoring threat at the University of Minnesota. He scored more than 50 points twice in Minneapolis, captaining the Gophers his junior season. Upon completing his junior year in the NCAA, Snuggerud signed with the St. Louis Blues. He played only seven NHL games in 2024-25.
Last season, Snuggerud bounced around multiple different line combinations before head coach Jim Montgomery settled on one. That trio would help drive the young winger and the Blues to a strong finish. Snuggerud, Thomas and Holloway scored at the highest rate and highest goals-for percentage of any line that played at least 200 minutes, according to MoneyPuck. The Blues struggled to find lineup consistency last season, but Holloway-Thomas-Snuggerud exploded to outscore opponents 24-6 in 253 five-on-five minutes. They had the single-highest goals per 60 minutes rate of all 77 qualifying lines with at least 200 minutes.
Snuggerud was a monster to finish the season. He scored 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in his final 30 games of the regular season. This line, mixed with the strong goaltending of emerging netminder Joel Hofer, powered St. Louis back into the playoff race in the Western Conference. They ultimately fell short, but the 22-year-old Snuggerud showed Blues fans that a brighter future is in sight.
AFP Analytics does not think he'll reach that level. Their model projects Snuggerud signing for around $8.8 million annually if he signs a maximum seven-year contract. Jimmy Snuggerud is already extension eligible since he burned the first year of his entry-level contract in 2024-25. He's onto the final season of his entry-level contract, which makes him a pending restricted free agent next summer. He is not, however, offer-sheet eligible. Snuggerud did not reach the games played threshold in his first year, which means he's in a similar position to current restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier.
Rutherford, in his reporting, conceded that it is "possible" the two sides will seek a bridge contract, but that it is not what he's expecting. The Blues are looking at ample cap space next summer, with approximately $46.7 million available, according to Puck Pedia. The Blues have helped trim their future cap commitments thanks to recent trades involving center Brayden Schenn ($6.5 million), winger Jordan Kyrou ($8.125 million) and defenseman Justin Faulk ($6.5 million).
There might be some projection in Rutherford's estimate based on where he believes Snuggerud's play is trending. Jimmy Snuggerud only has one season under his belt. If he were to sign now, his contract might look closer to what AFP Analytics is projecting. Though not a perfect comparable, Minnesota winger Matt Boldy's contract shows some similarities.
Like Snuggerud, Boldy entered his first-ever contract year with really only one strong NHL season to show. Boldy went into that contract year in 2023 knowing he would not be eligible for an offer sheet that summer. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin then chose to go long-term with Boldy, signing him five-and-a-half months before the July 1 deadline. Boldy's seven-year, $7 million AAV represented 8.38 percent of the salary cap at the time of that deal. Boldy had 29 points through 42 games at the time of the signing. He finished on a tear that season, scoring 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 39 games. That deal looks like it will age very nicely for Minnesota.
The cap is rising to $113.5 million next summer. That same cap percentage for Jimmy Snuggerud's next contract would be roughly $9.5 million per season. If the Blues don't extend Snuggerud this summer, Blues fans should pay close attention to Snuggerud's start to the season. That could be a major indication of where Jimmy Snuggerud's next contract lands.
Leo Carlsson ($18 million AAV) and Connor Bedard ($15 million AAV) are essentially the first guys through the wall, each signing five-year contracts coming out of their entry-level contracts for big money.
The changing landscape is enticing teams to bet big on players earlier. TSN's Elliotte Friedman has a phrase on "32 Thoughts: The Podcast" that he regularly tells listeners: "When you know you've got someone, sign them for as long as you can. The price never goes down." If Snuggerud grows to be a foundational piece for the Blues' next wave, that will prove to be wise advice.
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