The Chicago Blackhawks are five days away from opening their 2026-27 season against the defending Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 29 — and they locked up a key piece of the future ahead of opening night.
The Hawks signed forward Oliver Moore to a five-year, $21.25 million contract extension Thursday afternoon, the team announced. The deal begins in 2027-28, following the end of his entry-level pact, and carries a $4.25 million cap hit.
“I wasn't really having a deadline for it, I'd say,” the 21-year-old said in the official release. “It was just kind of seeing where it went. Coming into camp, it was talking about it over the summer a little bit, then it started to pick up a little bit, and here we are. I'm very fortunate. Grateful for the (owner Danny) Wirtz family, the management group here, (general manager) Kyle (Davidson), everyone who helped get the deal done as well.”
Moore appeared in 51 regular-season games with the Hawks last season, chipping in five goals and 19 points. Before joining Chicago, he produced nine points in nine contests with the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs.
“Last year, it was Rockford or here. For me, to sign this deal and have that security is huge,” the former No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft added.
Article Continues Below“With that comes responsibility, obviously. I'm well aware of that. I've only played 60 games, but for them to put that trust in me and know that I'm going to help this team take us where we want to go, it's huge.”
Along with his offensive contributions, Moore showed his speed and versatility in a middle-six role, adding 13 blocks and 25 hits. The young centerman took 205 faceoffs and won 99 of them in 2025-26. His ability to play both center and wing gives Chicago options as he continues to develop.
His season ended after Dallas Stars forward Colin Blackwell fell on his leg during a game in early March, but Moore appears fully healthy ahead of opening night.
With his next contract settled, Moore can focus on carving out a larger role in 2026-27. He could anchor the third line and see time on the second power-play unit as the Blackhawks look to take another step forward this season.