Blackhawks Get Steal With 19th Overall Pick

With their second pick in the first round, GM Kyle Davidson and his staff selected forward Oliver Moore with the 19th overall pick.

The conditional first-round pick was acquired by Chicago at the trade deadline in 2022, in a trade that brought over the Lightning’s first-round picks in 2023 and 2024, along with Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, in exchange for Brandon Hagel and two fourth-rounders.

Fit

Moore is regarded by many as the best skater in this draft class. His skill set lines up perfectly with what GM Kyle Davidson and head coach Luke Richardson appear to be trying to do with these offensive lines - filling them with quick, high-energy players. Moore has great hands and is a “high-involvement player”.

History

Moore has played the past two seasons as part of the U.S. National Team Development program. In the U17 team, he put up 39 points in 43 games, and as part of the U18 team last season, he tallied 75 points in just 61 games. He’s a proven producer on the offensive end, and he’s even better at getting to loose pucks, creating more possessions for his team.

Steal of the Draft?

The 18-year-old has been ranked as high as seventh overall in numerous scouting rankings. His lowest ranking of every notable list is 17th overall, proving Davidson got his team a steal in the latter half of the first round. Moore is committed to the University of Minnesota next season and will look to make his way to the NHL level sooner rather than later.

Green-Flag Interview

In his interview after being drafted, Moore was asked about those that compare his skating ability to Connor McDavid’s. He responded with the comment, “That’s a bit of a stretch.” However, he’s just as good of a skater as McDavid, if not better. His response seems to indicate at first glance that he’s been taught humility, and is ready to put his head down and get to work to make this NHL roster sometime in the near future.

The first round of the 2023 Draft was a night the Blackhawks would undoubtedly come away happy with, given the first overall pick that was used on generational prospect Connor Bedard. But the night got a bit better with Chicago’s second pick of the first round, which was used on Oliver Moore. Moore will bide his time in the NCAA next season, but he has some of the most unique tools in this draft and is regarded by many as a top-10 prospect. It’s well within the realm of possibilities that Moore quickly works his way to the Blackhawks, pairing with Bedard as they look to fill highlight reels and hoist Stanley Cups for years to come.