The St. Louis Blues took some massive steps forward in 2024-25 after hiring former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. The Blues hit a lull with their offense under Drew Bannister, and Montgomery's attacking approach was a breath of fresh air. The 2025-26 season looks like it could be another step in the right direction for the Blues, as they get top offensive talent like Jimmy Snuggerud inserted into their lineup after getting a preview of what was to come at the end of last year.
Snuggerud isn't the only change to the 2025-26 Blues lineup, as they also made a mixed-emotions deal with the Montreal Canadiens. The trade saw Zack Bolduc head out of town to play in his home province, with stud defenseman Logan Mailloux coming the other way. While the team will miss Bolduc's offense, the deal did help shore up some of their defensive depth.
The Blues went on a thrilling run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, and might've upset the Winnipeg Jets in the first round if it wasn't for a heartbreaking tying goal in the dying seconds of Game 7. It was easy for the team to hang their heads on the finish, but hope should've reigned supreme after their run to end the regular season.
The question for Montgomery will be if he can keep the Blues going in the right direction in 2025-26. The head coach had some good years with the Bruins, but his message eventually lost its impact with their veteran roster. It's likely too early for that to happen in St. Louis, which means Montgomery's ability to get the best out of his players could be a good sign for some members of the Blues' roster.
Jimmy Snuggerud's immediate impact
Blues fans should be ready for what Snuggerud can bring to the team, as he showed in his short stint last season. After finishing the year at the University of Minnesota, Snuggerud turned pro and gave an immediate jolt to the lineup.
While the usual path for a player like Snuggerud is to get eased into the lineup, Montgomery instead opted for a baptism by fire. He placed him on the wing of the top line with Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas, and the top prospect rewarded the trust with eight points in his 14 games split between the regular season and playoffs.
With a team that needs scoring help, Snuggerud's shot will be his greatest weapon. Every team needs a shooting threat, and Snuggerud is a perfect fit in that regard. It's a lot of weight to place on the shoulders of a rookie, but if he can get comfortable on the power play and find chemistry in the top six, shots will start seeing the back of the net.
Snuggerud currently has the fifth-best odds at Fanduel to win the Rookie of the Year Award, but there aren't many first-year players who will be in a better situation. Ivan Demidov and Isaac Howard rank above him for good reason with their top-six potential, but Snuggerud should be right there with them in the points race.
Snuggerud's biggest obstacle will be navigating an 82-game season after coming from college, but if he can get past that hurdle, he'll quickly become a fan favorite.
Logan Mailloux is a fresh face on the blue line
Mailloux was always going to have a challenge seeing ice time in Montreal. The Canadiens assembled a stacked prospect pool, and adding Alexandre Carrier this past season put another roadblock on the right side. Once the Canadiens traded for Noah Dobson at the start of the offseason, the writing was pretty well on the wall for Mailloux.
It's a rare trade that will benefit both teams. The Canadiens gain another offensive weapon, albeit at the expense of a player from a position of strength, while the Blues bolster their blue line with some youth.
Mailloux will add some offense that St. Louis now lacks after Torey Krug's potential career-ending ankle injury, and form a stable core for the future with Philip Broberg, Tyler Tucker, and Matthew Kessel. Add in Adam Jiricek and Theo Lindstein, and the future of the Blues' defense is looking good for years to come.
Montgomery doesn't need Mailloux to play picture-perfect defense, as his value comes in his offensive abilities. The right-shot defender must clean up some of the issues in his zone, but if he can reach at least replacement-level defending, the offense will be enough for him to stick around.
The Blues don't need Mailloux to quarterback the powerplay in his rookie season, but average offensive output and a commitment to defense on the third pair will be enough for the trade to be a success.
