It looks like the Blackhawks have locked up yet another young player.
According to reports by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thursday morning, the Blackhawks have extending Oliver Moore’s time in Chicago with a five-year deal carrying a $4.25 million annual salary cap hit.
Blackhawks are extending Oliver Moore at 5 x $4.25M
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 24, 2026
Going to be long-time member of the NHL's All-Interview team, too
The Blackhawks confirmed the signing shortly after:
get ready for πππππ βΌοΈ
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 24, 2026
we have agreed to terms with Oliver Moore on a five-year contract extension!
details π° β‘οΈ https://t.co/gf26gFobID pic.twitter.com/4X04HRhY4V
The extension will kick in at the start of the 2027-28 season following the completion of the final year of Mooreβs entry-level contract, and keeps him under contract with the Blackhawks through the 2031-32 season. Moore is currently playing on a $941,667 cap hit and would’ve been a restricted free agent next summer.
Selected by the Blackhawks with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Moore spent two seasons at the University of Minnesota, racking up 66 points (21 G, 45 A) in 77 NCAA games before signing his entry-level contract in March 2025. He immediately joined Chicago for the final nine games of the 2024-25 season, picking up four assists during his first taste of NHL action.
Moore began last season with the Rockford IceHogs and made pretty quick work of the AHL, producing 9 points (6 G, 3 A) in nine games before being recalled by the Blackhawks in early November. He spent the remainder of the season primarily in Chicago, finishing with 19 points (5 G, 14 A) in 51 NHL games.
The offensive numbers weren’t necessarily eye-popping, but Moore showed enough during his rookie season to establish himself as an NHL player and, more importantly, demonstrate why the Blackhawks remain high on his potential. His speed has always been the standout tool, but his vision and playmaking were also impressive during his first extended NHL stint. He also showed the kind of two-way game and high effort that should give him a fairly firm floor, even if the offense never develops enough for him to become a top-six forward.
For more on Moore’s previous season and where he fits into the Blackhawks’ future, check out our deep dive from this summer:
Like the Frank Nazar extension signed last summer, the deal represents the Blackhawks betting on one of their young players before he’s completely established what his NHL ceiling will be, though Moore comes at a lower price point: Nazar’s seven-year extension carries a $6.59 million cap hit, so Moore will cost the Blackhawks about $2.35 million less annually. Honestly, this deal feels pretty appropriate considering where the two players were at the time of their respective extensions. Moore has yet to show the offensive upside Nazar had flashed before signing his deal, and there are still legit questions about whether Moore’s top ceiling or if he’s more suited to be a very good third-line player.
Still, Moore already looks capable of being a useful NHL player thanks to his speed, transition ability, defensive effort and improving playmaking, so the $4.25 million cap hit seems appropriate in this rising cap world. And if more offense comes so that Moore develops into the kind of two-way, top-six center the Blackhawks envisioned when they drafted him, the deal would end up being quite team-friendly. There’s always a little risk that Moore could also wash out, but that seems very low probability and it’s worth it in exchange for the possibility of locking in Moore’s prime years at a reasonable number before he has the opportunity to increase his value.
After spending the first several years of the rebuild accumulating young talent, Chicago has increasingly moved into the phase where it has to decide which of those players belong in the long-term picture — and as no surprise, Moore is expected to be one of them.