Blues' Jimmy Snuggerud's Next Contract Projected At Huge Number

The next wave of the St. Louis Blues forward group is taking shape, and Jimmy Snuggerud is looking like the best of the bunch. The 22-year-old former first-rounder had an outstanding rookie season, finishing 5th in Calder Trophy balloting and making the NHL's All-Rookie First Team. But his 21 goals, 51 points and +16 rating in 70 games aren't the only big numbers surrounding Snuggerud.

The young forward with the heavy shot is going into the final year of his entry-level contract, and is currently eligible for an extension. Will it get done this summer? 

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic thinks the Blues would be best served to get Snuggerud under a long-term deal sooner rather than later, and he has projected a big number if they wait:

If the two sides are interested in an extension before the season gets rolling, it seems unlikely but perhaps it’s a bridge deal and the Blues get him at a reasonable AAV. But if the puck drops and Snuggerud gets rolling, I could see a seven-year deal (the max under the new CBA that starts in September) with an AAV of $10 million plus.

Rutherford goes on to say that Snuggerud will be the Blues' best player within the next few years, and "He’s going to be the next Blues player to score 40 goals."

Man, Jimmy Snuggerud can really rip it 🚀 pic.twitter.com/dRCkxVlxW1

— NHL (@NHL) January 14, 2026

Down the stretch last season, he teamed up with Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway to form a lethal first line. The rookie finished the season strong, with eight goals and 19 points in his final 18 games and four goals and eight points in his last four games. 

With vastly improved playmaking and exceptional shooting ability, "Snuggerud becoming the centerpiece of the offense is a certainty,"  Jared Clinton of The Hockey News recently wrote.

Snuggerud was the 23rd overall pick by St. Louis in the 2022 NHL Draft.

New GM Alex Steen better act fast, before this young star's price tag gets out of reach.