Blackhawks observations: Rookie Oliver Moore who moves the formation, living it in NHL

Chicago – It is not that the rookie of Blackhawks Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel have no other interests, other things to talk about. When the hockey is your life, it is usually the last thing you want to talk about from the track. But there is only so to talk about.

Can you believe all the food? It is everywhere. And food on the plane is better than an elegant restaurant! And these hotels? And can you believe that we have just seen Alex where to tie the record of Wayne Gretzky’s goals?

“It was difficult not to talk about what’s going on,” said Moore with a laugh. “With the program we had – Ovechkin, playing Sidney Crosby, playing (David) Pastrnak, all these legends. I’m just talking about their games, talking about the slopes, talking about the NHL life lifestyle. It’s all new.”

Moore and Rinzel have their hotel rooms in Chicago, but they were roommates on the road, so they had a lot of time to wonder how their lives changed since they became professionals two weeks ago. After spending the last two seasons together with the University of Minnesota, it was nice to have each other to lean – and with which they were out.

“It was fantastic,” said Moore. “I feel like Sam and I got even more closer to this experience, sharing it together. It has been a whirlwind in the last two weeks, and there is no one else with whom I would have preferred to go through. It was an exciting moment.”

Things have become even more exciting for Moore on Blackhawks’ recent journey through Pittsburgh and Boston, while it was climbed to the upper line together with Connor Bedard. Moore was taken 18 points after Bedard in the first round of the draft 2023 and Blackhawks fans waited to see them together for almost two years.

Moore and Bedard have kept occasional contacts since they were enrolled, but Moore recognized that Bedard “has a lot to do”, so he ensured not to come too strong from afar. And while the fans and even Bedard could have waited for this moment, Moore was not going too far.

“Not necessarily,” he said. “It was only nice to be able to be enrolled with him. It was a very projected choice and a generational talent. I only saw Chicago’s excitement for both, honestly, it was really nice at that moment. We tried to keep in touch a little later it happened, but he is a busy boy and I was also at school and also to try to be my feet. Now we are here that we are here to spend some time together.

The first returns are promising, while Moore and Bedard joined to create a goal by Kevin Korchinski in Boston and continued to create some dangerous possibilities in the loss of 5-4 on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets leader of the League.

For many perspectives – including defender Arthom Livshunov, choice n. 2 last year – The speed of the NHL can be initially overwhelming. But Moore was undoubtedly the skater in his draft class. Speed ​​is not a problem for him. Like Rinzel, Moore does not seem frightened by the promotion in the best league in the world. For Moore, it is not about Footpeed, it is its head that can be reached on their feet.

“It’s quite expected, I would say,” said Moore about the rhythm of the NHL game. “I saw the games grow and only be down for the ice, see how fast the guys are. And you are watching on TV knowing how fast they are. College has done an excellent job in preparing me. I think the difference is how quickly the guys think the game. Many people say it, but it is true.”

Moore flashed that speed at the beginning of the second period on Saturday evening, when he came out wide and ran for the defense of the jets, revolving around the net and putting on Laya Mikheyev for a flagship possibility at hand.

“Good moments, for sure,” said the temporary coach Anders Sörensen. “Also some moments of learning. But (this is) what to expect, the college boy who comes here. He managed it well, however, and his play rhythm is evident. Then learning to use that quadrant speed a little. … He is coming. He is improving.”

The speed infusion made the Blackhawk much more watchable and gave Sörensgen much more with to work with.

“When we are predictable and we quickly move the disc and we do those guys in the feet races or we do the speed disc, it is evident how fast we are, right?” Sörensen said. “I think we can see it all. It is only a matter of continuation of those progress. There are only two games here, but it is very evident. That Forececk, tracing, was very evident, how quickly we can close. When there are few mistakes, which is part of the game (it is clear) how quickly we can respond to those mistakes because of our speed.”

One of the coherent messages that Pat Maroon has had for young Blackhawks this season was to treasure every round, every game and every season, because you never know when it will be your last. So what was Maroon’s mind on Saturday morning knowing for sure it would really be his last NHL game?

“It is certainly sunk last night,” he said after his last morning skating. “You sit there and think very much – the good moments, the bad times and the adversities you cross. Emotions that crosses. The ups and downs, the players, the boys. The thing I was thinking about most is going to the dinners with the boys. It is something that I will miss a lot. Yes, it is my last and I’m going to love every moment.”

Maroon had a box full of family and friends for its 1,01st NHL game – which has 163 playoff games, sixth among active players. The three -time Stanley Cup champion was honored with a free video and prolonged ovation during the first television timeout and wore a “a” on his sweater.

Not bad for a boy who has almost never done it because of what he called a “bad attitude”.

“I am really proud of myself, to be honest with you,” he said. “This dates back to the coaches and guys who believed in me, teammates who believed in me. It was not an easy journey to arrive where I had to arrive. While I look back to my career in Philly, where it all started, it did not end so well. I thought my career was my career. My career is my career. The possibilities and I think people will change.

Alec Martinez had also returned to training. And he also had an “a” on his sweater. It was not a shock that turned out to be Martinez’s latest NHL game, but came out a little more silently, not revealing it until the game had started. Lately an injury and the arrival of Lights and Rinzel have hit Martinez from the formation, but Sörensen has ensured him to take him for the home finale. He obtained his video tribute in the third period, with another prolonged ovation.

After the game, both teams remained on the ice to offer some hugs and rugs for Maroon and Martinez.

All lessons from @Nhljets While paying the aspects to Pat Maroon and Alec Martinez. 👏

The two announced that their NHL games would be tonight tonight. pic.twitter.com/ek9qtmabpr

– NHL (@Nhl) April 13, 2025

“Both Pat and Alec have always talked a lot about former teammates and (have) a great reputation to be great teammates,” said Winnipeg defender Josh Morrissey. “Both have three Stanley Cups each. Each quite impressive. It does not always happen where a player knows when their last game is. … For two guys like this, having great careers and having respect for the boys throughout the League for the way they played the game and the type of people who are in their changing rooms, it was only nice to be able to do it for them and show them this respect.”

Martinez is also a three -time champion and will be remembered for what could be the biggest two weeks that each NHL player has ever had, when he marked the winner of the extraordinary in game 7 of the Western Conference final for the kings against the Blackhawks, then marked the winner of the Stanley Cup against the Ranger two weeks later.

It is not something that raises a lot since it became a blackhawk. And no, wisely has not been included in his highlighting video.

“I have to cut the cable, stop living in the past,” he said with a laugh at the beginning of the season. “Especially here, it’s a touchy topic. I don’t really like talking so much.”

Frank Nazar continues to be a machine to generate possibilities for the Blackhawks, and is starting to convert a little more often. He had a goal and an assist on Saturday, giving him three goals in the last five games. And it is becoming a threat on the killing killing, habitually creating score opportunities. He had a two to zero with Tyler Bertuzzi on Saturday, but he was unable to convert it.

“He took people unpelated,” said Sörensen. “He does it. It’s not as if his feet have over 100 mph, right? He has that glida and it’s like shooting a cannon, and I think he surprises a lot of people. And he has a big instinct. He sees when the disc launches or a boy has his eyes down or turned a little, it’s when he attacks.”

It is not a huge shock that Bedard is fifth in the championship in primary assists five out of five. He launched Ryan’s equilizer Donato in the third period for his 21st Primary Assistance in Five-on-Five, linking him with Connor McDavid of Edmonton. Bedard has shown that he is an even better director than the marker, with almost double the assists (80) of the goals (43) in his first two seasons. But what is interesting is the way they have few secondary Bedard assists. Its ratio from 21 to three between the primary and secondaries is by far the wider of the NHL, with Mark Schefele by Winnipeg (20-Seven) and Phil Danault of Los Angeles (from 19 to seven) the only ones at a distance of spit.

What does it mean? Well, it could be floating, but the fact that Bedard is getting so few cheap is a sign that he could use a little more help on his line. Not that all the secondary assists are cheap-are the main reason why a goal-but is scored, the best leading points of the League accumulate many points only because they touch the disc on production lines a lot. When Bedard collects a point five out of five, he usually earns it.

The two -point Bedard night gave him 63 points in the season, exceeding his total of 61 of the beginner season (even if it was in 12 less games).

(Photo: Bill Smith / Nhli via Getty Images)