Chicago Blackhawks NHL Draft Profile: USNDTP's Oliver Moore brings elite speed, two-way play

The NHL Entry Draft will occur on June 28 & 29 in Nashville. If it seems like we’ve been looking towards this date since CHGO Blackhawks launched in March of 2022, it’s because we have! The Chicago Blackhawks won the right to draft future superstar Connor Bedard with the first overall pick. However, they currently own 10 picks in one of the deepest drafts in recent years, including six in the first two rounds. With that in mind, the CHGO Blackhawks crew will dive into some of the prospects the team is potentially targeting for some of those picks after changing the course of the franchise with the number one pick.

Our next profile is on forward Oliver Moore, who played for the US National Team Development Program last season, and will head to the University of Minnesota for the 2023-24 season.

Oliver Moore Measurables

Position: Center
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180

Rankings

The Athletic (Scott Wheeler): #9
Flo Hockey (Chris Peters): #12
NHL Central Scouting: #8 NA Skaters
Elite Prospects: #8

Quotables

“We’ve never scouted a faster, more agile skater than Oliver Moore in our time covering the draft in an editorial capacity at Elite Prospects. Full stop.

The way he outraces opponents to loose pucks, explodes past them in space, and covers ground on the backcheck – it would strain credibility to describe it in text. You almost have to see it for yourself to believe it.” – Elite Prospects Draft Guide

“His commitment to defending and competitive nature has made him a gifted two-way center with the ability to play in any situation. Moore has a good shot and can get to the middle well, while also possessing the ability to get pucks behind the defense and make plays on the rush. There’s a lot of projecting and a lot of “if this, then that” kind of discussions with Moore, especially when it comes to the rest of his game catching up to his speed, but you bet on the athlete and work with him to develop more elements to his game.” – Chris Peters, FloHockey

“He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. And while his game is tenacious, he also has surprising soft skill. I’m not sure he has the star power of the names in front of him here, but he’s got some unique attributes in this class and he’s going to make a heck of an NHL player.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

“While the biggest numbers on the USNTDP came from the top line, Moore finished fourth in scoring without regularly playing with elite linemates. On top of that, the University of Minnesota commit has a very specific skill that makes him appealing to NHL teams. ‘I’d be hard pressed to find anyone that skates better than him in the draft,’ said one scout.” – The Hockey News Draft Preview

Video Highlights

Why Oliver Moore Fits on the Blackhawks

Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson and his staff have made no secrets about their prioritization of speed, and Moore is one of the fastest prospects in this loaded draft. While he’s still on the small side, Moore shows a willingness to play in all areas of the ice, especially in the transition game. As the Blackhawks roster takes shape, especially with a puck moving defenseman like Kevin Korchinski leading the breakout, Chicago will be generating a lot of their scoring chances from their defensive zone breakouts. Moore’s motor gets high praise, as well. That’s another area of emphasis for the Blackhawks front office. Speed loses value if it’s only used on the perimeter. Moore is willing and able to get to the difficult areas to score. He’s a very tempting prospect, especially envisioning him playing with Connor Bedard.