ST. LOUIS -- For Jimmy Snuggerud, two seasons were packed into one.
The season started for the 20-year-old as captain of the Minnesota Golden Gophers with aspirations of an NCAA championship.
It ended with the No. 23 pick of the 2022 NHL Draft signing his first pro contract and jumping right into the thick of the Stanley Cup playoff race for the St. Louis Blues.
Snuggerud had himself quite a junior season at Minnesota, finishing with 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) before Minnesota was upset in regional play by UMass, 5-4, and being named a top 10 candidate for the Hobey Baker Award.
Things ended with heartache again for Snuggerud when the Blues were eliminated by the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference First Round, but playing in seven regular-season games which were so meaningful, followed up by seven intense, heated playoff games in mostly a top six role was like playing with house money, gaining invaluable experience and knowledge when the forward enters his first pro training camp in September.
Snuggerud, who had a goal and three assists in the regular season, followed by two goals and two assists in the playoff series against the Jets, addressed his limited time here and what it meant for the beginning of his growth at the pro game:
What has this experience meant for you and what have you learned about what it takes to play at this level?
Honestly, it was the best experience of my life. You don't get many opportunities like this in life. It's a fun experience, but at the end of the day, you want to win. As a player, as these guys said, you're so close and you come up short like that. Even besides that, the amount of respect that I have for the guys in that locker room and coaching staff is unbelievable. Just from the day I stepped foot in this rink, every single guy has been the nicest to me. Even when I made mistakes, I'm trying to learn things. It's like bringing me up. Every single thing that couple have went right, learning from these guys has been right. I think it's a great experience obviously and you learn so much as a player.
When you came here, how much did you feel that culture from everybody?
Instantly. You kind of get a feel for guys pretty quick. I'd say it starts with Schenner up top, just the amount of ability he has to kind of push forward this team. I feel like the past month I've been here, it's so impactful and it goes down to 'Rou' too. Everyone in the locker room just cares so much. Like I said, it starts up top and the culture has been there since I stepped in that locker room. Like I said, I have so much respect for that and it doesn't happen within every team. I've been with other teams that don't have that type of culture. Being able to step in and kind of feel that is one of the greatest things for sure.
Going through this with Minnesota, a rough six weeks now, but what have you learned in this time? How have you become a better player in the NHL?
I think as a player, it's all about experiences and going through things like that. Obviously I've lost in my life and I've won in my life. It's good to go through that with teammates honestly. To kind of feel that experience with them. Losing twice in the same season is not fun. It's more than you want to lose in one season, but you learn so much as a player and that's how you use for fuel for fire in the summer to train and get better. It doesn't come all the time. You use it for fuel of the fire and move forward.