Blues Aim for Jimmy Snuggerud to Follow Matt Boldy's Path

The former Gophers standout had 18 goals in his first 67 games as a rookie in St. Louis

Apr. 14, 2026 at 1:19am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action of a hockey game, with sharp, overlapping planes of blue, green, and red representing the players and movement on the ice.The Blues hope young forward Jimmy Snuggerud can follow a similar trajectory of growth and development as Minnesota's Matt Boldy, becoming a complete two-way player.Chaska Today

Jimmy Snuggerud, the 21-year-old former University of Minnesota standout, is in his first full NHL season with the St. Louis Blues. While he's had an impressive rookie campaign, scoring 18 goals in 67 games, the Blues are hoping he can follow a similar development path as Minnesota Wild star Matt Boldy, who has grown into a complete two-way player.

Why it matters

Snuggerud's progression is crucial for the Blues as they look to build around a young core and return to the playoffs. The team sees Boldy as the blueprint for how Snuggerud can develop his game on both ends of the ice to become an impact player at the NHL level.

The details

Snuggerud joined the Blues late last season and has been a regular in their lineup this year, adjusting to the grind of the NHL schedule. Blues coach Jim Montgomery said Snuggerud had some ups and downs early on but has been 'really good' for the team since Christmas. Montgomery cited Boldy's growth with the Wild as the model he'd like to see Snuggerud emulate, evolving from a primarily offensive player into a complete two-way forward.

  • Snuggerud joined the Blues at this time last season and was a regular during their 2025 first round playoff series with Winnipeg.
  • Snuggerud entered Monday's game tied for third on the Blues with 18 goals, on a team that was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs last weekend.

The players

Jimmy Snuggerud

A 21-year-old forward who is in his first full NHL season with the St. Louis Blues after starring for three years at the University of Minnesota, where he won two Big Ten titles.

Jim Montgomery

The head coach of the St. Louis Blues, who has been pleased with Snuggerud's rookie campaign and sees him following a similar development path as Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy.

Matt Boldy

A forward for the Minnesota Wild who has grown from a primarily offensive player into a complete two-way forward, which is the model the Blues want Snuggerud to emulate.

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What they’re saying

“Ideally for us, if he can come close to (Matt) Boldy, who came into this league and started in the American League and then all of a sudden was really good right away, every year he adds something to his game.”

— Jim Montgomery, Blues Head Coach

“The other thing too is the consistency he plays with. He's really good on both sides of the puck. I think when he uses a power game, that's when his skill comes out.”

— John Hynes, Wild Head Coach

What’s next

The Blues will continue to monitor Snuggerud's development and hope he can follow a similar trajectory as Matt Boldy, becoming a complete two-way forward who contributes on both ends of the ice.

The takeaway

Snuggerud's progression is crucial for the Blues as they look to build around a young core and return to the playoffs. The team sees Boldy's development as the blueprint for how Snuggerud can evolve his game to become an impact player at the NHL level.