Chicago Blackhawks are No. 7 in 2024 NHL prospect pool rankings

Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2024 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 29.

That the Blackhawks still have one of the league’s top pools after graduating Connor Bedard (who never even appeared in this series), Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic speaks to the job GM Kyle Davidson has done acquiring picks and what director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey has done with those picks. Had Korchinski gone back to junior and played for Canada at the world juniors, Chicago’s pool would have ranked in the top five. After Lukas Reichel’s reintroduction to the pool just a few days ago, they moved from a planned ranking of No. 8 up to No. 7 here (I even thought about slotting them at No. 6) as well.

With two first-round picks in each of the next two drafts (which will likely include a top-five selection in this year’s draft) and multiple seconds in each of the next three drafts, their cupboards should be among the league’s most well-stocked for the foreseeable future.

2023 prospect pool rank: No. 5 (change: -2)

1. Oliver Moore, C, 18 (University of Minnesota)

A favorite of mine, Moore has consistently impressed me across levels and competitions over the last three years. On trips down to Plymouth during his time at the program (as well as after at the world junior summer showcase), where he was the focal point of the 2005 age group’s second line and a real driver of play and offense behind their record-breaking first line. In Switzerland for last year’s U18 worlds and Sweden for this year’s world juniors (where he began as the team’s 13th forward but also had a good run on the first line). With the Golden Gophers since returning from the world juniors.

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, 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, and in quick bursts from explosive stops and starts) and consistency of presence on the ice. He’s got 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 wants to hang onto the puck and make plays but he’ll also hurry it up and dominate in and out of give-and-gos. He’s got quick hands. He’s got an impressive one-timer from the right flank and can really lean into and rip his catch-and-release or in-stride wrister to score from the high…