NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Blackhawks have established skating ability as their most valued trait, and Oliver Moore checks that box in thick marker.

The Hawks picked Moore — a center billed by some as the best skater in the entire 2023 draft class — with the No. 19 pick Wednesday, adding him to Connor Bedard as their first-round haul.

Undersized at 5-11 and 176 pounds but fast and elusive enough to make up for it, Moore said he models his game after Red Wings star Dylan Larkin, using that speed to drive the middle of the ice.

The Minnesota native and University of Minnesota recruit tallied 75 points in 61 games this past season for the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Many mock drafts had pegged him to land in the 10th-15th range, but he insisted he was never sweating as he sat in his seat a bit longer than expected. In the end, his small drop was the Hawks’ gain.

This story will be updated.