Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - In the next part of our multi-faceted profile series for the 2023 NHL Draft, we travel to Plymouth, Michigan for the first time to talk about center Oliver Moore.
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Moore is one of the best skaters in the first round of the 2023 draft class, and has earned a high ranking from NHL Central Scouting at eighth overall among North American skaters.
Various draft rankings have placed him as high as sixth overall in the draft order, and as low as 17th. This means it could be a stretch Moore falls to the Sabres at 13th overall, but it's not completely out of the question.
Profile:
Moore bases his play off his explosive acceleration that leads him to be a great play-driving center. Coming in at 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds, the 18-year-old center is light on his feet, and proves to be very elusive for defenders.
Moore is committed to the University of Minnesota for the upcoming season after playing last year with the United States National Team Development Program. Between the U-18 team and the U.S. team that plays in the United States Hockey League (USHL), Moore played a combined 84 games and recorded 100 points (39+61).
At the 2023 IIHF U-18 World Championship, Moore recorded nine points (4+5) in seven games played with Team USA, and won a gold medal.
Positives:
Moore has a great knack for finding holes in the defense and using his speed to exploit them. He has an explosive amount of acceleration while moving up the ice, and can easily breeze past defenders creating odd-man rushes.
While doing this, he utilizes his high hockey IQ to find ways to make a play one or two steps before it will happen.
His prowess isn’t just on the offensive side of the puck. When play goes the other way, Moore uses his speed to back check and help earn possession back for his team.
Negatives:
While his greatest strength may be the high speed he plays at, sometimes this comes back to hurt him. Moore’s speed can put him too far ahead of his teammates and create turnovers that wouldn’t normally happen.
This puts him in awkward positions where he is outnumbered, or puts him in a position where he can’t properly get back and help his team in the defensive zone.
Aside from being “too fast”, Moore has a well-rounded game that isn’t riddled with too many deficiencies. Other parts of his game that may need minor improvements will most likely be fixed once he begins to adapt to the next level of the game in the NCAA.
NHL comparison:
Moore’s ability to drive play and dominate with speed in the offensive zone puts him in a very special category of NHL players. One similar to the mold of Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos.
Stamkos has been a centerpiece of the Lightning for the better part of a decade, and has always showcased his speed while dominating play.
He has recorded 1,056 points (515+541) in 1,003 games played, along with winning two Stanley Cups and two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies for scoring the most goals in the league in a single season.
Where does he fit on the Sabres?
Moore would compliment the rest of the Sabres lineup very well. Players like Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens already possess the ability to drive play in the offensive zone, and Moore would be able to add, yet, another layer to that.
While Moore does play center, he has played on the wing at certain points in his young career, which would prove to be useful for the Sabres given their current lineup.
However, it would be unlikely that Sabres fans would see him on the team in the next season or two, as he will be just starting out his college career this coming fall.
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