After some speculation following Minnesota’s stunning loss in the NCAA Tournament, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel are coming to Chicago.
Each signed a three-year entry-level contract with a cap hit of $950,000 and will begin their pro-hockey careers. Both Moore and Rinzel will join the Blackhawks immediately.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xwelcome to Chicago, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel‼️
Moore and Rinzel agree to terms✍️ ➡︎ https://t.co/GMF2tvn0kI
This is big for the Blackhawks as they were both willing to finish the deal within a few days of being eliminated. Now, they will make their NHL debut sometime before the season ends.
Moore, a forward, brings speed and skill to any team he plays for and should see a bottom-six role to begin his NHL career.
As for Sam Rinzel, he is a number-two defenseman at minimum who could blossom into a star. With Artyom Levshunov, Alex Vlasic, and others in the mix, the Blackhawks have a special group developing on the back-end.
Both of these guys put up big numbers at Minnesota this season. Moore had 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in 38 games. Rinzel had 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points in 39 games for the Golden Gophers.
Each was a part of the 2024 World Junior Championship Gold Medal-winning Team USA squad. Moore won back-to-back Gold Medals, as he also won it with them in 2023. They’ve experienced both big-time winning and heartbreaking losses. Each is good for their development. Now, it’s time for the NHL.
It is unlikely that they both spend the entire 2025-26 season in the NHL, as the AHL will be used for development too. That method has served the Blackhawks well with a lot of their recent top prospects. They can only skate in the NHL to end this year, though.
Chicago’s next game comes against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday afternoon at the United Center. We will see if this is their first opportunity to jump into the lineup.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Read the full article here