Jimmy Snuggerud (left) is expected to make his NHL debut with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. (Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/65ac9267-3ef7-4050-9c2a-d82c47cfc9a4.jpeg] Jimmy Snuggerud (left) is expected to make his NHL debut with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. (Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Like any nervous kid looking to do something for the first time Jimmy Snuggerud was like a sponge on Monday. The 2022 first-round pick (No. 23) by the St. Louis Blues [http://thn.com/stlouis] was on the practice ice on Monday for the first time after signing his three-year, entry-level contract on Friday [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/breaking-blues-sign-top-prospect-jimmy-snuggerud], just one day after a premature ending to his collegiate season – and career – when the Minnesota Golden Gophers fell to Massachusetts 5-4 in overtime on Thursday at the Fargo Regional semifinals. And judging by practice line combinations and power play drills, the 20-year-old is expected to make his NHL debut when the Blues (40-28-7) put their nine-game winning streak on the line to begin a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings [http://thn.com/detroit] (34-33-6). “Potentially,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “He had a good practice, will talk it over with the staff, but there’s some quality talent that we’ve acquired and is going to make us deeper, better.” Snuggerud, who had 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) in 40 games for the Golden Gophers this season, was on a line with Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc on Monday and played the bumper with one of the Blues’ power-play units. “It was good. It was a fast-paced practice,” Snuggerud said. “A lot of movement, a lot of speed. It was fun. It was just great to be on the ice with the guys. “It’s kind of just learning from other guys and watching. The speed, it showed quick. The first drill, you kind of have to be ready from the start and there’s so many good players on the ice, so just watch them and what they’re doing and kind of learn from them.” It’s been a whirlwind of emotions for the 20-year-old, who went back to school on his own accord, to not only better himself in certain areas he felt he wasn’t ready for to compete at this level yet but also to try and win a national championship, which he unfortunately was unable to do. “It’s kind of hard to turn the page quick, but you kind of have to honestly,” Snuggerud said. “You jump from one team to another team who is the hottest team in the National Hockey League. You’ve got to switch your mindset quick. I think I’ve learned from a lot of people in my life that have taught me to do that. It’s been an easy adjustment. “It was a really quick turnaround honestly. From zero to 100. A lot of emotions honestly. You lose your season and I’m really excited to be here now and meet this group of guys.” Should Snuggerud jump into the lineup, he will go in for Mathieu Joseph, who was an extra along with 2023 first-round pick (No. 10 overall) Dalibor Dvorsky and Alexandre Texier. “You come in and let him play, let him feel comfortable and go from there,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “He’s going to be nervous, he was nervous today. He flat-out said it, right. He’s never been in an NHL training camp, right, so it’s our job to make him feel as comfortable as possible as quick as possible. Obviously he has elite talent and at the same time, you don’t expect him to come in here and be this guy that’s going to save your season or whatever. He’s just got to be a piece for us and that’s all we need from him and just play his game.” Montgomery admitted prior to Monday not knowing anything about Snuggerud other than what he’s maybe seen on television or read about him. And after a practice session, he’s learned, “His hockey sense, his game management, his puck play was really good. His hands are exceptional, his skating is NHL speed. Those are things you’re looking to see, but the biggest thing is the brain, that he thinks it so well.” With the Blues, who hold the second wild card from the Western Conference, on an absolute tear, does it disrupt the room implementing someone new into the lineup? “We’re not going to worry about Jimmy being a disruption in our locker room,” said Schenn, who drove Snuggerud to the rink on Monday. “I think our locker room’s good enough where he can come in and just be a piece for us and a guy that has a lot of skill and a lot of talent that can fit in well for us. Even in the run, Matt Kessel stepped in for a game, Dvorsky stepped in for a game. It’s one of those things where you don’t have to worry about him coming in and disrupting or any of that stuff. That’s not what we’re worried about. You let him come in, find his game, but at the same time, don’t put pressure on him. Just let him play and let him get better game by game.” Montgomery said, though, it was something that needed to be addressed with the leaders. “As a coach, you never stop worrying about all those possibilities, but in the end, I think if you communicate to everybody that’s involved, especially your leaders, and they understand that when we bring in a new player, it’s an opportunity for us to get better, and that’s why we’re doing it, and in the end, we all want to put the best players on the ice and the best team possible,” Montgomery said. “I’ll sit with the staff and we’ll see if we make a change in the lineup or not.” The points of emphasis Snuggerud feels he’s equipped to handle now include, “Speed, puck possession, poise, leadership things. Those things are kind of why I decided to come back and that’s what I wanted to work on. I feel like I worked on those things well enough to a point where I could jump on this team. But like I said before, it’s a fast-paced game and I’m really lucky and fortunate to be here and I feel like I’ve improved myself to be here, but there’s still a long ways to go. “I feel like my game has evolved over the past year. Obviously the speed is different. Guys in here want to win and I think I have that winning mentality. I just want to win games and I want to be here for them, be by their side when they win hockey games. That was kind of the most important thing for me is making that jump knowing the mentality is hockey, hockey, hockey. There’s no school anymore. It’s just hockey and you’re here to win hockey games and that’s it.” “Everyone in here is so nice. Just meeting the guys already, it’s such a tight-knit group of guys. It’s cool to meet them and talk to guys on the ice. There’s some Minnesota guys in here too so it’s cool to connect with them. There’s some college players too. It’s just cool the connections you can start and create with guys in this locker room.” Snuggerud, who chose No. 21; not out of a connection, but because, “I just happened to look at the list and happened to choose 21. I’m kind of playing for what’s on the front,” goes from playing for one title and jumping into a playoff race probably eases somewhat the sting of not accomplishing what he wanted when he went back to college. “It’s cool. You dream of it as a kid,” he said. “You obviously still don’t know yet. But I’m playing for everyone else in here. I’m here to win hockey games. Hopefully that’s what I kind of entail on other guys. They’re the hottest team in the NHL and I’m so lucky and grateful to be a part of it.”
