ST.
LOUIS – Jimmy
Snuggerud will make his NHL debut for the St. Louis Blues (40-28-7)
when put their nine-game winning streak on the line to open a
three-game homestand against the Detroit Red Wings (34-33-6) at 7
p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
“Snuggerud’s
going to play tonight, his first NHL game,” Blues coach Jim
Montgomery said. “We’re excited to see how he’s going to help
us.
“’Do
what you do best and what got you here, and enjoy the moment.’ It’s
a special moment and if you’re a highly-competitive player, make
sure you really compete hard. If you’re a goal scorer, don’t pass
up shots. If you’re a defensive player and you finish checks,
finish five checks tonight. Do what you do best.”
The
20-year-old and No. 23 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, who signed a
three-year, entry-level contract on Friday after his junior season at
the University of Minnesota ended at the Fargo Regional on Thursday,
skated with the Blues for the first time on Monday and skated on a
line with Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc.
“Conversations,
just getting to know him too,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said
regarding making Snuggerud feel comfortable. “I’ve never really
met him before. I’ve met him once in Minnesota earlier this year
and that’s it. Hear a lot about him, same agent and stuff [Ben
Hankinson], I hear he’s a great kid, a guy that obviously is
well-liked by his teammates. He’s going to be quiet initially.
That’s the reality of coming into pro sports being a young guy. You
just kind of talk to him and if he has any questions, you’re there
to answer them.”
Snuggerud,
who had 24 goals and 27 assists in 40 games with the Golden Gophers
this season, also will get time on the power play in the bumper.
Snuggerud
said he’s played bumper, “A little bit. I’ve played it growing
up with the national team a little bit. I’ve been in some scenarios
up there, but it really makes it easy playing bumper when you’re
with four other really good players out there, so it was really fun.”
As
for using him as a bumper to start and not for the one-time threat,
Montgomery said, “I don’t know, it’s the first time he’s
probably been in a bumper, to be honest, and beggars can’t be
choosers with the way our power play’s been. But that being said,
he did a really good job there. He supported pucks well, you can tell
his brain (that) he understands time and space. He’s a scorer and a
shooter and those guys know how to get open. They’ve been getting
open their whole lives. You could see his puck support and release
are ideal for the bumper position.”
He
will become the third Golden Gopher to play in the NHL and make his
debut after college teammates Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel each made
his debut with the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.
“I’ve
talked to Oliver Moore and ‘Rinzy’ [Sunday] night after their
game and just see how it went for them,” Snuggerud said. “Obviously
they both had a good game. I thought ‘Rinzy’ stood out a lot.
He’s a strong player and he’s had that skating ability and
‘Mooresy’ made strong plays throughout the whole game.
“It’s
nice to know you have your teammates going through that too. Matthew
Wood is signed with Nashville now. It’s awesome to see them doing
well and in their programs.”
Bolduc,
who was in a similar position not too long ago as the No. 17 pick in
the 2021 NHL Draft, is looking forward to playing with Snuggerud.
“For
sure I can help him,” Bolduc said. “I’ve been though it not a
long time ago. It’s exciting. [Tonight’s] going to be his first
NHL game. It’s a dream-come-true and just got to enjoy it. You’re
kind of blacked out on those days and try to enjoy it as much as you
can, just work on the ice. It’s all about trying to enjoy the first
one.
“He’s
a good skater and he’s smart. If I put myself in his shoes,
probably a little stressed, but it’s part of it. It’s part of the
experience of that first game, that excitement. He’s a good player
and he can shoot it too. I’m looking forward to playing with him.
“He’s
a good player. He’s smart, he’s working hard and he can shoot it.
… We’ve got a great line and just looking forward to it
[tonight].”
–
– –
Blues
Projected
Lineup:
Jake
Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Pavel Buchnevich
Dylan
Holloway-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou
Zack
Bolduc-Oskar Sundqvist-Jimmy Snuggerud
Alexey
Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker
Cam
Fowler-Nick Leddy
Philip
Broberg-Justin Faulk
Ryan
Suter-Tyler Tucker
Jordan
Binnington will start in goal; Joel
Hofer will be the backup.
Healthy
scratches
include Matthew
Kessel, Dalibor Dvorsky, Alexandre Texier and
Mathieu Joseph. Colton
Parayko (knee) is out. Torey Krug (ankle) is out for the season.
–
– –
Red
Wings Projected
Lineup:
Alex
DeBrincat-Dylan Larkin-Patrick Kane
Michael
Rasmussen-Marco Kasper-Lucas Raymond
Jonatan
Berggren-J.T. Compher-Vladimir Tarasenko
Craig
Smith-Tyler Motte-Austin Watson
Ben
Chiarot-Moritz Seider
Simon
Edvinsson-Justin Holl
Albert
Johansson-Jeff Petry
Cam
Talbot will start in goal; Alex
Lyon will be the backup.
Healthy
scratches include William
Lagesson and
Dominik
Shine. Andrew Copp (upper body), Elmer Soderblom (undisclosed), Erik
Gustafsson (undisclosed) and
Petr
Mrazek (upper body) are
out.
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