On March 29, the Chicago Blackhawks announced they had agreed to terms with forward Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel, both products of the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers hockey program, to three-year entry-level contracts that will run through the 2026-27 season.
According to Chicago Sun-Times reporter Ben Pope, both players joined the Blackhawks immediately, taking part in the team’s Saturday morning practice. Moore was seen wearing number 11, while Rinzel was wearing number 6.
Both players could make their debuts on March 30, when the Blackhawks host the Utah Hockey Club.
The 20-year-old Moore scored 12 goals and 21 points in 38 games with the Golden Gophers this season. Taken 19th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Moore, a native of Mounds View, Minnesota, played 76 career NCAA games, finishing with 66 points (21 goals and 45 assists).
As for Rinzel, 20, he finished the year with 10 goals and 31 points in 39 games. His 31 points ranked sixth among all NCAA defenders, while his 10 goals ranked eighth. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year while earning All-Big Ten First Team honors. Rinzel, a native of Chanhassen, Minnesota, played 79 career college hockey games, finishing with 12 goals and 48 assists for 60 points. He was taken 25th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
The pair join a list of Blackhawks first-round picks who came to the club this season. Forward Frank Nazar, taken 13th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, started the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rockford IceHogs, but was called up in December and has been with the club ever since, scoring seven goals and adding 10 assists for 17 points in 44 games.
Meanwhile, Artyom Levshunov, taken second overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, spent most of the season with the IceHogs, but made his NHL debut on March 10 against the Colorado Avalanche.
The Blackhawks are 21-42-9 with 51 points, last in the Central Division and second last in both the Western Conference and the entire league. Chicago, who has a goal differential of minus-63, is 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
