Sonic the Hedgehog on skates: 2023 NHL Draft prospect Oliver Moore is more than his speed

Oliver Moore (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

Credit: (Photo by Steven Ellis/Daily Fac

NASHVILLE – A Minnesota kid. Idolizing the Wild and Zach Parise. You can almost picture him gliding around on frozen ponds in the State of Hockey growing up.

Sure, Oliver Moore did that. But he did a whole lot else. He actually spent a lot of his childhood running, not skating. He did it as a track-and-field standout, and he did it on the soccer pitch as a midfielder who covered an incredible amount of ground.

“Kind of like a centerman in hockey,” Moore said. “And I think sprinting all over field helped a little bit.”

The track, the soccer, the commitment to power skating instruction since he was 10 years old: they all converged to create an elite-level athlete who is the 2023 NHL Draft’s version of Sonic the Hedgehog. Scouts bill him as perhaps the fastest thing on skates since Connor McDavid. Meeting with reporters Tuesday in Nashville during the top prospect media availability, Moore cheerily fielded question after question about his wheels. He knows his defining trait attracts a lot of attention and should make him one of many U.S. National Team Development exports hearing their names called in the first round Wednesday night, perhaps even in the top 10. But Moore believes he brings a lot more than pure speed. What sets him apart, he says, is the combination of his speed with his motor. That desire to never quit, shift after shift, gives him the ability to absolutely exhaust opposing checkers tasked with the chore of keeping up with him.

The non-stop pep in the step defines Moore’s personality. He carries his 5-foot-11, 188-pound frame with bubbly enthusiasm. To ask a teammate about Moore is to watch warmth and admiration wash over someone’s face.

“He’s a nut,” laughed fellow 2023 projected first-rounder Ryan Leonard, who was Moore’s NTDP roommate this past season. “We definitely battle a lot. We’re pretty much the same person. He’s got a lot of energy, that kid. You can see it with his quick feet on the ice. But he’s awesome, one of my best friends, and I love him to death.”

There’s a harmony between Moore’s on- and off-ice personality that explains why he’s so liked: he has integrity. He doesn’t use his speed to cheat for offense. He’s a defensively responsible player who understands that, because he can patrol such a large surface area so quickly, he can make an impact all over the ice. When I asked which characteristics as a player are his is most underrated, he referred to the way he thinks the game.

“My hockey IQ is something I’m really proud of, something that’s come a long way,” Moore said. “I’m going to continue to evolve that. But I make my teammates around me better as well.”

Moore, who spent most of 2022-23 as the NTDP’s No. 2 center, busted out for 31 goals and 75 points in 61 games this season. He’s got plenty of offense in his stick. His shot is sneaky-potent. Because he does so many things well and isn’t known to have a discernible weakness, he’s considered a high-floor prospect. He’ll almost certainly find a role on an NHL team because he has the mindset of a player who can be deployed for shutdown and penalty killing work.

The only “knock” on Moore might be: is he too unselfish? Because he’s committed to a well-rounded game, he may not have the monster scoring ceiling of some other first-round prospects. He has the raw ability to become an all-star, but he could also settle in as a versatile middle-six piece who contributes in all situations.

It won’t be long now before Moore takes the stage to don an NHL jersey. And while he’s committed to playing at the University of Minnesota this coming season, it might not be long until he’s an NHLer. With his relentless commitment to fitness, he has the physical strength – and feet – to turn pro sooner rather than later.

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Sonic the Hedgehog on skates: 2023 NHL Draft prospect Oliver Moore is more than his speed

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