The St. Louis Blues have two key young players whose contracts run out after the 2026-27 season. Forward Jimmy Snuggerud and goaltender Joel Hofer will both become restricted free agents that summer, and for each of them, there is a reasonable case for waiting until they finish another full NHL season before signing a big extension while running the risk of each player receiving, and potentially even agreeing to a lucrative offer sheet.
For frame of context, an offer sheet is a contract offer from another NHL team to a restricted free agent. The player’s current team then has seven days to match the offer or let him leave in exchange for draft picks. Agreed upon offer sheets moves are still uncommon, but they have happened more often in recent years. The Blues know this tactic well. In 2024 they used offer sheets to sign Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway away from the Edmonton Oilers, and Edmonton chose not to match. As Snuggerud and Hofer remain under contract through next season, any offer sheet talk would not surface until the summer of 2027.
Right now the Blues have significant cap flexibility projecting roughly $46.7 million in space with only 13 players signed to their active roster. Several other players will also hit free agency after next season, including Jordan Binnington, Pius Suter, Brandon Carlo, Tyler Tucker, and Dillon Dube as unrestricted free agents, plus Jake Neighbours and Jonatan Berggren as restricted free agents. That gives St. Louis options, but it also means the front office will have a multitude of contract decisions to sort out in 2027.
For Snuggerud, one more season could strengthen his hand. He already produced at a solid rate as a rookie, posting 21 goals and 51 points in 70 games while playing on the top line. Another year of NHL experience and more responsibility would give him and his agent clearer numbers to use when asking for a large raise. If he keeps producing, he could become the first player in franchise history to average more than $10 million per season on a new deal.
Hofer is in a similar position. He has already shouldered a bigger workload and shown he can handle the demands of being a No. 1 goaltender. One more season in that role would provide stronger proof of his consistency over a full season and that extra data would support a longer-term contract at a higher salary than he currently earns.
Waiting though does carry risks for both sides. A player could suffer an injury or have a down season that weakens his bargaining position. On the team side, another club could still test the Blues with an offer sheet in 2027, creating media noise and forcing a quick decision. The Blues have experience on both ends of offer sheets. Along with the 2024 signings, they also moved early to extend Hofer in June of 2025 to avoid the same situation. They may prefer to control the timeline rather than react to it.
For Snuggerud and Hofer, the extra season could turn into better leverage when talks eventually begin. For the Blues, it offers more information before committing significant money to two important pieces of their future. How both sides handle the timing will be worth watching once the 2026-27 season is underway.