Jake Neighbours Bio
Jake Neighbours is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Blues in the first round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft with the 26th overall pick. Neighbours skates as a left winger and wears sweater number 21 for the Blues organization.
Born in Alberta and developed through the Canadian youth and Western Hockey League (WHL) systems, Neighbours has progressed from midget and bantam ranks in his home province to a full-time NHL role. Standing 180 centimeters tall and weighing 88 kilograms, he has been recognized as a mature, two-way forward since his teenage years.
Early Life and Background
Jake Neighbours was born on March 29, 2002, in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. Growing up in a blended family with a wide age gap between his half and step-siblings, Neighbours has often credited that upbringing with shaping his early maturity. He has explained that having brothers significantly older than him pushed him to act grown-up so they would include him, and that environment helped him stay calm and professional around older players.
He played minor hockey in his home province, competing for the Calgary Midget AAA Buffaloes of the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League and the Airdrie Xtreme of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League. He later transferred from the Xtreme to the Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence Bantam Prep program, a move that widened his exposure to scouts beyond Alberta.
Path to Hockey
Neighbours entered the WHL when he was selected fourth overall by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. In his draft-eligible year, he produced 68 points in 30 regular-season games and added 11 points in the playoffs, numbers that marked him as one of the top young prospects in Western Canada.
He joined the Oil Kings for the 2018–19 WHL season and immediately earned two WHL Rookie of the Month awards while recording 24 points in 47 games. He pushed the team into the post-season and was the only Oil Kings rookie to score during the playoffs, a sign of his early competitive temperament. In his sophomore season he averaged more than a point per game with 70 points in 64 contests before the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heading into the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 26th among North American skaters, a jump from 30th at midterm. The St. Louis Blues selected him 26th overall in the first round, and on October 17, 2020, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the organization. He attended Blues training camp the following fall before beginning his pro career in the American Hockey League with the Utica Comets.
Jake Neighbours Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Neighbours opened his major-junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2018–19, where he quickly established himself as a reliable rookie contributor. His two Rookie of the Month honours and his post-season scoring reflected an early ability to perform when the games tightened.
The following season he took a clear step forward offensively, pacing above a point per game while also earning the Oil Kings’ Most Improved Player Award and Scholastic Award. He was named to the WHL Academic Spotlight for December while attending Salisbury Composite High School, balancing strong classroom work with his on-ice production.
NHL Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Neighbours made the Blues’ opening night roster for the 2021–22 season and debuted on October 16, 2021, at Ball Arena against the Colorado Avalanche, skating about nine minutes with three hits and a shot on goal in a 5–3 St. Louis win. Two nights later against the Arizona Coyotes, he picked up his first NHL point with the primary assist on the game-winning goal in a 7–4 victory. In his fourth game he scored his first NHL goal against the Los Angeles Kings, again the game-winner, capping a 7–3 Blues win.
After nine NHL games he was returned to the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings for the rest of the 2021–22 season. He responded with 17 goals and 28 assists in 30 regular-season games, then added three goals and 14 assists in 19 playoff games as the Oil Kings defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds in six games to capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
St. Louis Blues Era (2021–Present)
Neighbours has remained with the St. Louis Blues organization since signing his entry-level deal and has continued to grow into a regular NHL contributor. His first NHL points and goals came within the first week of his debut season, marking him as a forward capable of producing in high-pressure moments.
Representing Canada at the junior level, Neighbours captained Canada White at the 2018 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and later won a silver medal with Canada at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Those international experiences have complemented his club development and added polish to his two-way game.
Driving Style and Strengths
Neighbours is known for a mature, balanced approach that blends offensive touch with responsible defensive play. He skates well for his size, finishes checks along the boards, and has shown a willingness to play through physical moments of a game, traits that fit a top-six or middle-six winger role.
Notable Events and Milestones
His first NHL goal against the Los Angeles Kings doubled as his first NHL game-winning goal, an uncommon early milestone for a teenager. In junior he helped the Edmonton Oil Kings lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2022 and earlier captained a Canadian national age-group squad at the 2018 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.
Jake Neighbours Career Wins
Jake Neighbours has built a winning resume across Canadian youth, major-junior, and NHL levels. His biggest team trophy to date is the Ed Chynoweth Cup, awarded to the WHL playoff champion, while at the international level he earned a silver medal at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Canada.
WHL Highlights
In the Western Hockey League with the Edmonton Oil Kings, Neighbours posted 17 goals and 28 assists in 30 regular-season games during 2021–22 before adding three goals and 14 assists in 19 playoff contests. That playoff run ended with the Ed Chynoweth Cup after a six-game series win over the Seattle Thunderbirds, a championship that confirmed his readiness for the NHL game.
Other Wins and Performances
Neighbours also contributed to two WHL Rookie of the Month awards during his first major-junior season, a sign of his consistent early production. At the international level, his silver-medal performance with Canada at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup stands out among his junior-age achievements.
Jake Neighbours Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Neighbours grew up in Airdrie, Alberta, in a blended family with a notable age gap between his half and step-siblings. He has spoken publicly about how his older brothers’ influence pushed him to act mature and stay composed, qualities he has carried into his professional career.
Personal Life
Neighbours remains closely tied to his Alberta roots and to the Edmonton Oil Kings organization that developed him. He maintains an active presence on social media, where fans can follow his updates on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 calendar year, Jake Neighbours continues his progression as a regular in the St. Louis Blues lineup, building on the foundation of his 2021–22 NHL debut season. His blend of scoring touch and physical play has positioned him as a trusted winger for the Blues’ coaching staff.
Throughout the 2024–25 NHL campaign, Neighbours has been counted on for both even-strength contribution and secondary scoring, with the Blues relying on his two-way reliability in a competitive Central Division. His development arc from Ed Chynoweth Cup champion to everyday NHL winger underscores the steady momentum he has maintained since turning pro.
Looking across the remainder of 2025, the Blues’ outlook hinges on continued growth from their young core, and Neighbours is a central piece of that plan. If his current trajectory holds, he is on track to expand his offensive role while remaining a fixture on St. Louis’ penalty kill and matchup lines.