Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters, including Scott Powers of The Athletic, that young forward Oliver Moore could make a late season return, but it’s also possible his season has ended. Needless to say, it’s uncertain at this time.
Moore suffered an undisclosed injury in early March, leaving against Dallas and not playing since. In the dreary closing games of the campaign for the 31st-ranked Hawks, bringing the explosive skater back into the lineup would bring some excitement. However, Chicago has no reason to rush their top prospect back.
The 21-year-old has recorded 19 points in 51 games this year, a successful first true NHL campaign. His 48% expected goals share is laudable for any young forward on a team less often in the win column. It’s a nice foundation to build off of in 2026-27.
Even if the 19th overall selection (2023) doesn’t eventually blossom into a true top six forward, he has the perfect skill set to be a force in the middle six. Such are the exact type of players Chicago needs to cap off their rebuild.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Also in the Windy City, Andrew Mangiapane is traveling with the team, noted by Powers. He won’t get to carry a chip on his shoulder to the ice in Edmonton, but could appear later in the road trip. Since coming over from the Oilers, Mangiapane has two points in seven games as he looks to rebuild his stock. His possession metrics have dipped even further as a Blackhawk, down to 43.6% corsi for at five-on-five, but that’s expected on the non-playoff team. If the 29-year-old is to restore his old high scoring ways, it’ll have to be by earning a larger role and getting power play time alongside Connor Bedard. So far Mangiapane is averaging 12:23 a night in Chicago, essentially the same as was in Edmonton.
- Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel is day-to-day and it’s unlikely he’ll appear tomorrow against Pittsburgh, per Diandra Loux of The Hockey News. The 27-year-old former sixth round selection continues to flourish with the Lightning, putting up 73 points in 69 games this season as the Bolts’ third leading scorer. It’ll be beneficial for the Penguins who are more in need of points than their opponents. Hagel should return far in time for the playoffs, as soon as Saturday against Boston. His club is currently fifth in the league, looking to end their three year first round exit streak.