2025 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25: Oliver Moore jumps to No. 10

The 2025 version of Second City Hockey’s Top 25 Under 25 rankings continues with our Top 10, which will contain a lengthier breakdown of each individual who made it into that group.

Oliver Moore

Position: Center

Birth date: Jan. 22, 2005 (20)

Acquired via: First-round pick (19th overall) in 2023 NHL Draft

2024-25 team: University of Minnesota (NCAA); Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

2024-25 NCAA stats: 33 points (12 G, 21 A) in 38 NCAA games

2024-25 NHL stats: 4 assists in 9 games

Size: 5-foot-11, 188 pounds

Contract: Two-years, $941,667 AAV (entry-level contract)

Rankings: 9 (Zack), 10 (Eric), 11 (Dave, LBR)

Last T25U25 ranking: No. 13, up three spots

Moore has been one of the most intriguing prospects in the Blackhawks organization since he fell to them at No. 19 in 2023. He has elite speed and his skating agility is off the charts with a high motor and strong defensive instincts. The issue for Moore the last two seasons has been the stagnation of his offense, but we at SCH were impressed with his finish to last season -- including his cup of coffee with the Blackhawks -- that it renewed our faith in his potential and we bumped him a few spots since our last ranking.

Let\'s break down Moore\'s 2024–25 NCAA season first. Overall, he showed good development but, as mentioned above, he did not take a major leap forward from his freshman year in terms of offensive output, something expected of top-six projected players. Statistically, he exactly matched his previous season, again finishing with 33 points (12 G, 21 A), albeit in one fewer game (39 this year vs. 38 last year), despite an increased role on the second line and the power play. Moore\'s NHLe (NHL equivalency) has now remained relatively flat season-over-season since his draft year, suggesting that his scoring impact has plateaued rather than pushed into a new tier.

However, what’s encouraging is that Moore did finish the season on a stronger note than he started, especially after coming back from winning gold at the 2025 World Juniors. Interestingly, he had a similar boost after the 2024 WJC, too. Moore showed up especially strong in Big Ten play, when he tallied 21 points in 24 conference games and proved to be one of the team’s most reliable two-way forwards. He contributed much more consistently starting in January, with some of his top offense highlighted by a five-game point streak in February. His late-season scoring push, improved faceoff numbers (he led the team in faceoff wins with a 52.7 percent success rate), and overall energy helped Minnesota capture the Big Ten regular season title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

The 77-11-81 line stays hot 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3dz7R4LvPt

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) January 27, 2024

Let 'em fly!

🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/FjrvPHUkig

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) January 20, 2024

Speaking of the World Juniors, Moore wasn’t a lead scorer for Team USA either, but his timely contributions, particularly in knockout games, were notable. Through seven games, he recorded five points (1 G, 4 A), quietly contributing throughout the middle of the lineup on a deep, talent-loaded roster. While others grabbed the spotlight, Moore excelled in a supporting role, providing speed, reliability, and doggedness when needed. And perhaps most importantly, he proved that he can thrive alongside elite talent when the stakes are highest. One thing to note: Moore played both third-line center and second-line wing in this tournament.

Here\'s Moore with some good boardwork to pick up the secondary assists on two different goals:

THE AMERICANS TIE IT OFF A BEAUTIFUL BACKDOOR FEED! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/0GSssNJJ2E

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2024

What a move!

James Hagens extends Team USA's lead to 2-0. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ip5pFcbLP9

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2025

In terms of style, Moore has played as more of a complementary piece rather than a line driver, even in the latter months of the season. He played well off more dominant line players, supporting in transition, forechecking hard, driving in to the net to cash in off other\'s drives, and showing value as a two-way presence. But what held him back from taking a bigger step offensively was his limited ability to dictate play, as he wasn’t often the one initiating or orchestrating scoring chances. His passing game was fine, but rarely dynamic, and he needs to work on his puck poise and vision if he wants to be a more high-end playmaker at the NHL level. Still, Moore\'s willingness to do the dirty work of a line can be quite valuable, even when it doesn\'t show up on the scoresheet.

Insurance from CK!

🍎 Moore pic.twitter.com/0BWq9aDNuL

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) February 2, 2025

Following the end of his college season, Moore signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on March 29 and made his NHL debut the very next day. In his first nine NHL games, he picked up four assists, averaging over 13 minutes of ice time per night. While he didn’t score, he showed flashes of his speed and ability to be in the right spots when needed, adjusting quickly to the pace of the professional game. The sample size was admittedly small, but how quickly Moore adapted to the NHL hopefully suggests he\'ll make the transition to professional hockey smoothly. Moore could be the type of versatile forward who is especially valuable in a modern system that prizes speed, defensive awareness, and adaptability.

psst... the assist from Oliver Moore is his first NHL point👏 pic.twitter.com/iWzHkgEpNm

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 5, 2025

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic recently called Moore a \"favorite\" of his as he ranked the young forward 71st on his Top 100 Drafted NHL Prospects list . Like many, Wheeler is most impressed by Moore\'s skating ability, touched on the scoring woes, but also noted he showed NHL readiness:

His consistent game-to-game impact, even when the points aren’t going in, has always struck me as well (he rarely has a bad game and works and finds ways to involve himself and make things happen)... Moore’s game is defined by his world-class skating ability (both in straight lines, where he turns defenders with ease out wide, in quick bursts from explosive stops and starts and rounding corners and winding up through his edges) and consistency of presence on the ice. He has gallops, cutbacks, crossovers, all of it. I’ve seen him create breakaways with ease, win races he shouldn’t and send defenders sliding when he stops up on them with a head of steam. He also hunts pucks and applies pressure with the best of them and his motor doesn’t stop, bouncing from one won battle to the next... He’s an impressive athlete who is strong for a 5-foot-11 player, which should help him stick at center up levels. He’s strong in the faceoff circle. Increasingly, his game isn’t all just about the speed/hound element, and I’ve been impressed by his puck protection in and out of stops and starts in the offensive zone, changing directions to beat defenders off the wall into valuable ice... He doesn’t seem to finish off plays around the slot or in all alone enough and that lack of finish despite the tools to do so and some pretty goals over the years on both dekes and shots, has become a bit of a constant, raising questions about his offensive upside in the NHL... [But] I thought he looked like he belonged in the NHL in the spring as well.

While we\'d have liked to have seen Moore be more of an offensive engine or show the creativity you\'d hope to see from a center with NHL top-six aspirations the whole season, he does get credit for in-season progress, and we hope that latter momentum hints at better confidence as a season wears on. His floor is an effective, fast, responsible third-line forward who contributes modestly but plays a key supportive role on special teams, especially the penalty kill. However, if he continues sharpening his scoring touch and playmaking instincts, he could cement himself as a more high-end second-line center who can play a prominent role on both the penalty kill and power play.

Entering the 2025–26 season, Moore is in a transition phase. There is a chance he will make the Blackhawks to start the season but, even if he does start in Rockford, he should have a clear path to the NHL roster by midseason if his performance warrants it like Frank Nazar did last year.

Before then, Moore will be the lone Blackhawks representative at NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase on Sept. 3:

Forward Oliver Moore will represent the #Blackhawks in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase on Sept. 3 in Arlington, VA. pic.twitter.com/rFRrqiR8ff

— Gail Kauchak (@littlegailk) August 26, 2025

2024 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25 list (so far): No. 11-15: Lardis, Del Mastro, Kaiser, Boisvert, Reichel No. 20-16: Dach, Nestrasil, Commesso, Greene, Vanacker Nos. 21-25: Allan, Slaggert, Behm, Spellacy, Mustard Honorable Mentions: Pridham, Savoie, West

Oliver Moore

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