Moore had a strong debut at the NHL level, appearing in 51 games for Chicago before a lower body injury ended his season early. Five goals and 14 assists in a bottom-six defensive role understates his contribution – he brought consistent, high-energy two-way play that coaches love and was arguably the most reliable young forward the Blackhawks iced on a nightly basis. He recovered in time to represent the US at the Men’s World Championship, filling the same defensive role across eight games. His speed is exceptional even by NHL standards, and his defensive instincts are further along than many expected from a player whose offensive upside drove his draft stock. He raises the ceiling of any line on which he plays, and as a result, Chicago would be wise to try him higher in the lineup rather than moving other offensive prospects off their natural positions to fill their centre ice need. A dynasty hold with a strong case for a more prominent role heading into year two.

Moore tore it up in his sophomore season at Minnesota, using his elite speed to be a constant threat. He played a key role for Team USA at the World Juniors, putting up five points in seven games while flashing that signature explosiveness. The Blackhawks signed Moore to an ELC in March and called him up to the Blackhawks squad for his first game. He finished the 2024-25 season playing nine NHL games, producing four assists. He is going to give Chicago some serious lineup flexibility in the next couple of years.

Moore has been selected 19th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

We probably spent more time debating Moore vs. Will Smith than we spent on the entire second round in our latest scouts’ roundtable, and ended up opting for the alluring profile of the NTDP’s second-line center on a 4-3 vote. Moore is speed incarnate. Tremendous edgework, power and agility make him fly across the ice at a blinding pace. If that was his only asset, however, he would be much lower on our list; for a while, we saw a lot of moments that made us doubt whether Moore’s brain could keep up with his feet and intensity. But as the season went on, the center became much more adept at using changes of pace to both keep his head in the game and throw opponents off. While he does a lot of great things with the puck, Moore’s off-puck intensity combined with that high-end speed is what makes him so unique. He is constantly flooring the pedal, making sure that opposing defenders feel suffocated and have very little time to make a decision. There aren’t many prospects like Moore who don’t claw their way to the NHL, and with the defensive responsibility and finishing ability that he displays, a top-six role seems realistic.

Moore spent most of last season playing for the NTDP’s U17 squad but also earned an audition with the U18 team before an injury cut his season short. In 43 games with the U17s, he scored 24 goals and 15 assists, and he added seven points in 11 contests with the U18s. He is off to a hot start with the U18 club in his draft year, notching four goals and four assists through the team’s first six games.