- Feb 12, 2008
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I don’t want Snuggy playing unless we are eliminated. There is no role for him right now. It’s silly to break up the chemistry we have going.
2024-2025 Blues Trade Proposals Thread.
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I think a great way to set expectations for Snuggerud is Knies. I feel a lot of the ncaa stuff is changing and is based on recent precedent. It could make sense that Snuggerud’s agent sees Knies path and requests that for Snuggerud too.
Knies committed to the leafs April 9 of that season - after his ncaa ended - and then played in 3 regular season games prior to the start of the playoffs.
In his and the leafs arrangement at that time it made sense for him to get icetime in the leafs playoff series, iirc he was featured on special teams and some top line shifts for at least the first few games of their first series and did get to play in the second series in whatever role. I remember it changed halfway thru.
I’d expect Snuggerud gets a similar treatment, especially considering he’s a year older at this time than Knies was when he made his pro debut. I think it’s reasonable to guess that we will handle Snuggerud somewhat similarly - get him into whatever regular season games exist then … the playoffs are a different thing. If we make it in - maybe he draws in maybe not.
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Snuggy doesn't strike me as a prima donna who expects to walk into a role when the club is on fire and hell bent on snatching a playoff spot. Nor does it seem his cadre of advisors would support such expectations. If he were to get eliminated while the Blues still had 5 or 7 or whatever number of games left, I'd think they'd work him in a bit but not bestow a spot on a line for him. And there would be value in him being with the team, practicing and learning, and observing from the press box and I don't think that would sour the relationship in any way. The Blues value Snuggy and will make that clear, and I think Snuggy and his people are mature enough to see what's going on is bigger than him.
I think it’s entirely reasonable to believe that the second Snuggy steps onto the ice in a Blue Note he’s a better option than Joseph, and I actually like Joseph quite a bit. Any chemistry lost from swapping the two in the lineup is probably replaced by the sheer upgrade in skill. I guess we’ll see.
Majorityof1
Registered User
What's the reasonable reason to beloeve Snuggy could come in to his first pro game and be better? All the success he has had in a professional men's league. Joseph only has 4 goals and 11 points this year. Let me do the math, that is ...... infinite times as many professional goals and points as Snuggy has.
Let the kid show he's better than Joseph. If he is, he'll get the spot. If not, we can let him experience being in the NHL and give him more experience next year. There is an adjustment period for the NHL game. No matter how good the skillset is, a player could be worse as they adjust.
Also Sunny is already slow, losing Joseph's speed would hurt that line. It would be weird line make-up in addition to the loss of chemistry.
LetsGoBooze
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I'd keep the top two lines the same, but there is absolutely room to give Snuggy a bot 6 shot. I'd love to see him on one wing and Bolduc on the other. Sure if he flounders over a 3-4 game trial have him ride the pressbox, but the upgrade in skill is worth a look.
LGB
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I don't think Snuggerud will start as an extra forward because he isn't good enough to crack the lineup. It's about role, chemistry, and what is important for the team right now. The third line is a checking line, Joseph has been an important penalty killer, and Snuggerud I think should take some time to learn our systems. We saw how much the team improved after the 4 nations break when we were able to get some practice time. I'm high on Snuggerud, but I expect there will be some adjustment period going from the NCAA straight into an NHL playoff race. What's most important for him is that he's ready to be a top 9 forward next year which just being with the team will help with. All that being said, I expect him to play this year, maybe just not immediately after he signs.
Armstrong could have made a cheap depth rental for offensive depth for a possible playoff run without sacrificing anything crucial. He didn’t. Perhaps he was penciling Snuggerud in as a cheap depth piece in that scenario. Or maybe it’s just working out that way.
It would be suboptimal from a team standpoint to neglect giving him some ice time to cultivate a depth option. It doesn’t have to be a false dichotomy where playing Snuggerud compromises the teams’ well being this season.
Brian39
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We're currently not really playing Joseph in a checking role. This recent stretch of decent play from him has coincided with us changing his usage from heavy defensive zone starts to a 51% O-zone start rate (6th most-offensive among Blues forwards since 4 Nations). Sunny has remained in the checking role, but Monty is pretty often parking Joseph on the bench and putting Sunny out with someone else for multiple defensive moments per night. Monty has also increased the 4th line's ice time and is throwing that line out instead of the 3rd line for multiple defensive moments per night.
A good chunk of our recent success has coincided with Monty deploying the 3rd line in a non-checking role and putting Sunny with other guys when he is taking defensive assignments. Bolduc has excelled in that role and Sunny has been decent in that role. Joseph has been passable, but I very much think that Snuggy is a better option for the non-checking 3rd line role Monty has transitioned them to.
LGB
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It’s not about zone starts it’s about how the line functions. The line is good because of their ability to forecheck and take away time and space through the NZ.
BrokenFace
Registered User
I think this problem will solve itself as long as Snuggy joins the team with a handful of regular season games remaining. Even if we go on a heater for the rest of the season, eventually we're going to have a loss or two. The coaches will see him in practice and, if he's good enough there, he'll get a shot just from them wanting to shake things up a little. That's not even considering a spot opening up from an injury. Our schedule is condensed from now until the end of the season. If Snuggy looks good in practice, Monty might see value in just getting some fresh legs in. We could also clinch a playoff spot early. As long as he doesn't join the team with only a game or two left (which is a real possibility), then I think there are plenty of avenues to getting him his first NHL games.
Assuming we dont fall out of the race .... I don't think Army minds burning a year of his ELC. I don't think the coaching staff would mind playing him for 1 game for a handful of minutes. I dont think Snuggles would mind being a black ace on a playoff team.
For me its a given we sign him this season.
He will barely play but he will be involved in practices and, fingers crossed, get exposure to playoff hockey environment.
For me its a given we sign him this season.
He will barely play but he will be involved in practices and, fingers crossed, get exposure to playoff hockey environment.
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
I'm Pretty confident we will be signing Snuggy at the end of his season and burning a year off whether we are in the Playoffs or not. I don't think not playing him if we are in the thick of it will have any adverse effect. Especially since we only have 3-4 weeks left in the regular season.
But a big difference.....Leafs were already entrenched in playoff spot, the Blues likely would still be fighting for one.
Good point. They had bunting back then and I was thinking you wouldn’t pull him for Knies: decided to dig and remember the situation better:
Knies only initially drew into the playoffs after bunting was injured in game 1. When the playoffs started Knies was a healthy scratch. That seems like a reasonable expectation for our case too then maybe? If he can fit in and help the team - if there’s some opening - that will probably happen, otherwise, he probably won’t be the default best choice.
ChicagoBlues
See
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Majorityof1
Registered User
12+ minutes of highlights and not a single NHL point shown shown. A D+3 putting up highlights against people who will never be drafted. Definitely a guarantee of NHL success. Should I put up highlights from Perunovich's Junior year to show why it was a mistake to trade him?
Let him prove he can hang in the NHL before we gift him a role in the NHL during an important playoff push.
Snubbed4Vezina
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I was all for Snuggerud being plugged into the lineup but I'm not changing a damn thing right now. When a team is firing on all cylinders like this, I hesitate to bring an inexperienced player into the mix.
bleedblue1223
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- Jan 21, 2011
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The Snuggy discussion has gotten pretty unhinged at this point IMO. If Minnesota performs, he might only be here for 1 game. If it's a must win game, he's not playing, but if playoffs are already settled, he'll play. If Minnesota is knocked out early, then he'll likely get some game time at some point, but depending on the playoff race and practice, we'll see what happens.
He'll likely sign and burn that year on his ELC, that's the gift that we'll give him, and Monty will put the best team on the ice. It's very possible he would be apart of the best 12 forwards, and it's possible he won't be, we'll find out soon enough.
He'll likely sign and burn that year on his ELC, that's the gift that we'll give him, and Monty will put the best team on the ice. It's very possible he would be apart of the best 12 forwards, and it's possible he won't be, we'll find out soon enough.
A Real Barn Burner
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stl76
No. 5 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts
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Yep, lol.
Folks seem to want to discuss it in great detail, and that's fine. Personally I don't think it's a big deal and will work itself out naturally with minimal fuss.
I understand what you’re saying. In my own perfect little world I’d send him to SPR to start developing chemistry with Dvorsky and Stenberg. I don’t think <5 NHL games is better than a long AHL playoff run for his development this year.
But Snuggerud would be far, far from the first prospect to make an impact after jumping to the pros. I remember Ryan Poehling scored a hat trick in his first Habs game. Especially coming off of a hopefully deep NCAA Championship run, he’ll never be more ready. I also think his skills are more resilient/translatable than someone like Scotty P.
Of course all of these questions about whether he’s ready or not will be fairly evident to Monty pretty quickly. I just know that if I was building a roster from scratch, I’d take Snuggerud over Joseph in a heartbeat. Part of that is upside and potential, but I also think he already might be better than Joseph is. There’s one way to find out!
Majorityof1
Registered User
I concur with this. He is more skilled and has more upside than Joseph. He could be ready. And Monty will figure that out once he gets to practice.
