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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — Jimmy Snuggerud said it was one of the hardest decisions he’s ever had to make, and it weighed on him for days.

It was agonizing and at times quite stressful for the 20-year-old St. Louis Blues forward prospect, but the No. 23 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft felt it was the right choice at the right time.

Snuggerud was deeply contemplating making the jump from the University of Minnesota to the NHL. What were the pros and cons of doing so right now? Was it the right time? Was he ready? Those were among the questions he had to ask himself.

After deliberation for five long days, with help from family — including his father, former NHL forward Dave Snuggerud — he decided to return to college for his junior season.

“There was a lot of factors, honestly,” the younger Snuggerud said during Blues development camp last month. “A piece of not wanting to rush it, a piece of wanting to win a national championship and a piece of being a leader in that program I think is what it came down to for me. It really wasn’t an easy decision. I consider it the hardest decision of my life. I factored in all those things. I woke up one morning and that’s what my decision was and I’m sticking with it.

“… I thought about it for a minimum five days just constantly thinking about it night and morning. It was hard, but those are the things I decided to do.”

In Snuggerud’s two NCAA seasons, Minnesota was eliminated in the national championship game in 2023, 3-2 in overtime to Quinnipiac University, and in a 6-3 loss to Boston University in the regional finals last season. Coming so close once and fingertips away from having a second chance is something Snuggerud hasn’t gotten over, even with a terrific professional future awaiting.

“That’s one of the biggest pieces,” he said. “It’s an itch. When you don’t achieve something as a person you want to achieve it sits in my mind, especially when I didn’t think I played to the best of my ability in the regional final.

“Toward the second half of the season, I just felt I wasn’t ready at that point. I can hopefully make an even better push [this season]. Our whole team can.”

St. Louis felt Snuggerud was ready to make the jump. Once his college season ended in April, his contract was ready to be signed. However, the Blues respected his decision.

“He and I had a good chat the first day (of development camp),” St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong said, “and I told him what a massive part of our future that he is, how I respected his decision, how he came about his decision and how we want him to maximize his year. But I expect him to be here at the end of this season and not only be here, I expect him to have a good enough season where he steps into our lineup at the end of the season. That’s his goal, that’s our goal.

“Everyone develops in a different area, but the goal is to get to the same place. His goal is to get here and our goal is to support him, so when he’s here he’s ready to take off.”

Snuggerud’s numbers dipped in his sophomore season. He had 34 points (21 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games after he had 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 40 games as a freshman.

He did contribute to the gold medal-winning United States team at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, where he had eight points (five goals, three assists) and was plus-7 in six games.

“It was crazy,” Snuggerud said. “The loudest rink I think I’ve ever played in. Sweden atmosphere was pretty nuts, honestly. They were screaming the whole game and you’re going against such good talent like (2023 Blues first-round picks Otto Stenberg and Theo Lindstein) and those guys. You realize at the end of the game how big and how important that game was for USA Hockey.”

It would be a storybook ending for Snuggerud to go back to school, help Minnesota win a national championship and transition into his pro career with the Blues. It would also be the perfect handoff with the 2025 NCAA Frozen Four to be held at Enterprise Center.

“He wants to go back, he wants to get bigger, he wants to get stronger, he wants to be a leader there,” Blues assistant GM Tim Taylor said. “We support his decision. When he’s ready, he’s going to turn pro and he’s going to be a real good St. Louis Blue.”