Prospect Update: Ian Moore

By Thomas Harrington

A third round pick from 2020, defenseman Ian Moore, completed his sophomore year at Harvard University this past season.

Moore played in 34 games, scoring a goal and 19 points, setting career highs in assists and points. He finished seventh on the team in points and fourth in assists. Among defensemen on the team, only former Duck prospect Henry Thrun had more assists and points. Moore began the season with assists in four straight games, and had a second four-game assist streak in February. Harvard made the NCAA Tournament but lost to Ohio State in the Regional Semifinal; Moore recorded an assist in that loss.

I had three expectations for Moore last summer. First, I wanted him to play in every game for Harvard, and he appeared in all 34 games. Second, I wanted him to hit the 20 point mark. He only missed that by one point, so while he didn’t quite get there, he got incredibly close. Finally, I wanted him to continue to round out his defensive game, and while that’s harder to quantify, I do believe that his defensive game did improve last year, so he passed this expectation for me.

With Thrun turning pro and joining the Sharks, there will be a huge void on Harvard’s blueline to fill. Moore will be a junior this coming year and will be one of the players counted on to fill those minutes. Moore was also named one of Harvard’s co-captains; he was elected by his teammates, who clearly see him as a leader on their team.

Now as an upperclassmen, a lot more will be expected out of Moore. First, I want to see him be among the team’s top defensive scorers again. Moore is not a player known for offensive ability, but he’s a smart player with a good shot and should put more points up in an expanded role. Second, to help lead Harvard deeper into the NCAA tournament. Finally, for him to turn pro after the conclusion of a successful junior season. This will be his third season of NCAA hockey, and I’d like to see him sign his entry-level contract with Anaheim when it’s over.

Moore is still a ways away from making his NHL debut. He’s got at least another season of college hockey ahead of him, and I’m expecting him to turn pro after his junior year. At that point, I think he’ll spend some time in the AHL before getting a shot at the NHL. If he plays well enough, he could make it to the NHL in his first full pro season, but given how Pat Verbeek likes to leave players in the AHL to develop, I doubt that. So I think the earliest we see him in an NHL lineup is the 2025-2026 season.

Moore is currently unsigned and will be until the conclusion of his NCAA career. Per capfriendly, the Ducks hold his rights until August 15, 2025. While I do expect him to sign, given the number of high-end defensive prospects the Ducks have, there’s a chance he could decide to stay in college for four years and then become a free agent. Hopefully that doesn’t happen, but we’ll have to wait and see if he signs with the Ducks over the next two years.

The next prospect update will be on forward Josh Lopina.

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Prospect Update: Blake McLaughlin

Prospect Update: William Francis

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Prospect Update: Sam Colangelo

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August 9th, 2023