Armstrong: Snuggerud could make it to St. Louis as early as this season

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong came away impressed with the entire crop of seven Blues prospects at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, keep an eye on one of them to be in a Blues uniform in the not-too-distant future.

It likely wouldn't come until after his college season ends with the University of Minnesota, but there could be a large decision when it comes to forward Jimmy Snuggerud (23rd overall, first round, 2022), who had five goals and three assists in six games in Sweden.

"He's going to get every opportunity to make the jump right now," Armstrong said Monday, meaning more in a couple months instead of literally this instant. "Usually what these guys do when they come in after their junior or senior year, they're more mature. He's going to come in. Hopefully we'll have to talk to he and his family and see what they think is best for him. He's coming out at the same age as a [Zach] Dean or a [Zachary] Bolduc, and that's usually a bit harder. You look at his linemates as a freshman what [Logan] Cooley and [Matthew] Knies are doing in the NHL right now, he doesn't have that same type of support in his second year, but he's still a very good player. I think he might have banged in a couple when he got back already. He's going to have the opportunity to play very quickly, if not immediately."

The more one thinks Snuggerud makes the NHL transition smoothly though is the shot. Think Vladimir Tarasenko when he first came on board with the Blues, and Armstrong found great pleasure in talking about the goal scored against Finland in the semifinal round, a 3-2 USA win, to cut a 2-0 deficit to 2-1.