Ian Moore’s first full taste of the NHL came with a little bit of everything.
The Anaheim Ducks took the defenseman in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, 67th overall, and after a year in the USHL he spent four seasons at Harvard University. He wore the captain’s “C” for his final two years there, then turned pro at the end of the 2024-2025 season and split time between Anaheim and San Diego.
Moore opened this past season in San Diego, but he was quickly brought up to Anaheim. He was sent back to the Gulls briefly in February during the Olympic break, then recalled again. In the end, he appeared in only four games for San Diego and did not record a point.
Most of Moore’s season came with the Ducks, where he played 67 games and finished with four goals and 12 points. One of the more unexpected wrinkles was how often Anaheim used him as a fourth line winger - about half his games, in fact.
He looked more natural on defense, but he handled the forward role better than anyone probably would have guessed. His first career goal came against Dallas in early November, in his seventh game of the season.
His playoff run brought another twist. Moore played 10 postseason games for Anaheim, began on the fourth line, then sat out for a couple of games before getting back in on defense.
From there, he scored his first career playoff goal from the blue line. Paired with Olen Zellweger, Moore helped give the Ducks a needed offensive boost from the back end late in the series against Vegas.
There was a time when the expectation was that Moore would spend most of the year in San Diego and maybe get a short NHL look. Instead, he ended up playing nearly 70 games in Anaheim, while Tristan Luneau spent most of the year in the AHL. That wasn’t the path many would have predicted, but it still added up to a strong rookie season.
Now, Moore looks like a pretty secure piece of Anaheim’s lineup. The Ducks’ defense is set to look much different next season with Radko Gudas, John Carlson, and Jacob Trouba gone.
Moore will be in the mix with recently signed Nick Jensen, Drew Helleson, and likely Luneau too. Anaheim could still add to the blue line through free agency or a trade, but Moore should remain part of the rotation.
The only real question is whether he stays on defense full time or gets used up front again.
Moore also recently signed a two-year contract extension, and when that deal is up he’ll be a restricted free agent. If he takes another step and grows into a true top four defenseman over the next two seasons, he could be in line for a much bigger payday.
A four- or five-year deal would make sense for both sides if he gets there. The next graduated prospect will be Tim Washe.
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