The Chicago Blackhawks have locked in another piece of their future, agreeing to a five-year extension with center Oliver Moore that will begin in 2027-28, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The deal covers the next six seasons overall and carries a total value of $21.25 million. That works out to an average annual value of $4.25 million, a number that could look especially sharp as the NHL salary cap keeps climbing and bigger contracts keep getting handed out ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Moore’s salary breaks down unevenly across the contract. He’ll make $5.25 million in the first year, then $4.25 million in year two, $4 million in both the third and fourth seasons, and $3.75 million in the final year.
A first-round pick by Chicago in 2023, Moore went 19th overall after starring at the University of Minnesota. The Mounds View, Minnesota, native posted 66 points in two seasons with the Gophers, including a 12-goal, 21-assist final year before turning pro in the spring.
His NHL track has already started to take shape. In 2024-25, Moore appeared in nine games and recorded four assists.
Then in his first full NHL season in 2025-26, he put up five goals and 14 assists in 51 games. He also logged time with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs that season, adding six goals and three assists in nine games.
Moore has also delivered on the international stage. The 21-year-old played for the USA at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Hockey Championships and came home with gold medals in both tournaments.
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What stands out this fall is not just the production, but the way Lardis and head coach Jeff Blashill have described the change. Both pointed to added speed and a more mature approach than he showed last season, with Lardis stressing that he wants to bring that pace and confidence every night. For Chicago, the intrigue is whether this version of Lardis can keep building from a strong start and turn a promising preseason glimpse into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Made A Long-Term Oliver Moore Bet
The Blackhawks have already made one of their clearest long-range commitments to Oliver Moore, locking in the former first-round pick on a five-year extension that will keep him in Chicago well beyond his entry-level deal. Moore, taken 19th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, has already gotten a taste of the NHL over parts of two seasons, and the organization is signaling that it sees him as part of the next wave rather than a player to evaluate year by year.
For a team still sorting out its future, the timing matters almost as much as the player. Chicago is buying certainty around a young forward with upside before the next contract cycle arrives, and it is doing so at a number that shows real belief in Moores trajectory. The deal also gives the Blackhawks a longer runway to see how his game develops, with the contract set to carry him through 2031-32 and keep one more key decision off the front burner. [Read more 🡒]
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St. Louis is expected to dress a lineup with plenty of regulars as well, which should make this a more useful measuring stick than the typical early exhibition game. The Blues will be without some key names, but the presence of established players on both sides should make the matchup feel closer to a dress rehearsal, with local fans able to catch it on AM 720 WGN and CHSN. [Read more 🡒]