David Pagnotta just reported that Oliver Moore is a name to watch on the Blackhawks trade market, and the Flyers have checked in.
The timing is awkward for Chicago. The Blackhawks are 4-13-1, sitting 31st in the NHL, and a 21-year-old first-round pick is now drawing calls from other front offices.
Pagnotta said teams are curious about how Moore is positioned, and that he knows Philadelphia has checked in on the center.
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That is the extent of what we know. Nobody has reported an offer, a price or a conversation beyond a phone call, so this is interest, not a deal.
Moore was the 19th overall pick in 2023 by Chicago, and he is still on his entry-level contract, which runs through 2026-27 with RFA rights at expiry. That matters in a trade conversation, because a buyer would be getting control beyond this season.
But the numbers this season do not help his case. Moore has 2 goals and 1 assist in 17 games, with a -8 rating.
Over his NHL career he has 7 goals and 19 assists in 77 games. That is a thin return for a player Chicago drafted in the first round and has given a long runway.
Should the Blackhawks sell on Oliver Moore now?
Not at this price. His value is at a low point, and moving a young center on the strength of a rough 17 games would be selling at the bottom. Chicago has the leverage of time, with his rights protected past this season.
The team around him is a bigger problem. The Blackhawks have lost six straight, have a goal differential of -37, and were beaten 9-2 at Carolina on Saturday. They are 0-8-1 on the road.
Jeff Blashill has a roster that is short on wins, and Kyle Davidson now has to decide whether Moore is part of the answer or a chip. Philadelphia checking in does not force that decision, but other teams are apparently curious too.
Chicago hosts Buffalo on Thursday, and Moore will be watched closely, by his own coach and by whoever is scouting him.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Blackhawks trade Oliver Moore this season?
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