When the St. Louis Blues selected forward Jimmy Snuggerud No. 23 overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, scouts saw his potential as a pure shooter and goal scorer.
As he’s started his college career at the University of Minnesota, he seems to be fitting that bill and then some.
Snuggerud has 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 18 games this season, leading a stacked Minnesota Golden Gophers team in points and sharing the team lead in goals. His plus-17 rating and 65 shots are also team highs, showing the freshman is making an immediate impact on the program.
In addition to Snuggerud’s individual scoring, his team continues to be one of the best in the nation. As of Monday, the Golden Gophers were ranked No. 3 in the NCAA by USCHO.com, leading the Big Ten with an 8-2-0 conference record (13-5-0 overall).
Snuggerud was named the Big Ten Men’s Hockey First Star of the Week earlier this season after his stellar display against rival Minnesota State, ranked No. 5 at the time. He put up a hat trick in just his third collegiate game as the Golden Gophers cruised to a 4-1 win.
“Jimmy’s a talented player,” said Blues Director of Amateur Scouting Tony Feltrin after the 2022 Draft. “Excellent hands and release, ability to score from distance… We’re very happy with the pick.”
It was announced on Monday that Snuggerud (and three of his Minnesota teammates) will be on the camp roster for Team USA ahead of the 2023 World Junior Championship, held from Dec. 26 – Jan. 5 in Eastern Canada. Zachary Bolduc, Blues first-round draft pick from the 2021 NHL Draft, has been invited to Team Canada’s camp roster.