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William Moore, Team USA (Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP)

Bruins May Have Found a Draft Steal in Will Moore

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Brandon Share-Cohen | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 3:35 PM ET

When James Hagens fell to the Boston Bruins with the seventh overall selection in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, many fans were excited about such a talented prospect joining the roster. In all fairness, Hagens really is a tremendous player and he should be front-and-center in any offseason discussions regarding the Bruins. At the same time, though, the Bruins put together a pretty good draft class as a whole and another name that isn’t being talked about as much is Will Moore.

For many, Moore was projected to be drafted in the late stages of the First Round or somewhere in the early Second Round. For the Bruins, getting him at 51st overall was one of the best value picks in the entire class. Moore is a big-bodied player with high-end offensive skills that make him a challenge for opposing defenders. At 6 foot 2 and 175 pounds, he already has NHL size, though he’ll need to add some muscle to fill out his frame properly.

Moore’s talent runs beyond just his hockey ability as well, with the 18-year-old having played piano at Carnegie Hall as just nine years old.

“I started when I was 2,” Moore told NHL.com’s John Paul Morosi back in April. “Basically, I completed every milestone there is, except for at the college level. My biggest skill is being able to read music, right off the top. There’s very advanced stuff I can’t do, but if someone asked me to play such and such, I’d just find the sheet music. It’s fun.”

Simply put, Moore is gifted, but is also a hard worker who is goal-oriented.

Given the Bruins’ need for high-end talent, especially down the middle, Moore joins Hagens as a potential long-term option for the team. One knock on Moore coming out of the USHL with the U.S. National Development Team was his tendency to drift away from the middle of the ice at times. Given his size and skill, he can be a dominant player down the middle if he commits to playing down the middle. The good news for the Bruins is that this is a very coachable issue and with the talent already in place, the little things about Moore’s game should come with time, repetition and exposure to a more pro-level atmosphere.

Bruins Make Noticeable Shift in Draft Strategy

There’s a fine line between targeting high-skill players with questionable hockey IQ and safer picks with strong instincts but limited upside. In the past, the Bruins have seemingly erred on the side of hockey sense over talent, giving them much safer options in their lineup but fewer high-end players who can take over a game. Fortunately for the Bruins, Moore, though not without fault, actually does seem to have a very strong grasp of how the game should be played. His hockey IQ hasn’t really come into question from scouts, nor has his skill. Some tendencies will need to be changed, but in general, the Bruins should be more than happy to have gotten two players with their first two picks in Hagens and Moore who appear to have top-six talent.

As it stands, the Bruins do have some new faces in the organization who also have strong potential to be roster mainstays in crucial roles in the future. Players like Fabian Lysell (22), Matt Poitras (21), Will Zellers (19), Fraser Minten (21), Dans Locmelis (21) and Dean Letourneau (19) all have the potential to be important pieces for the Bruins in the long run. If the team wants to continue improving and return to Stanley Cup contention, though, they’ll need to continue to stockpile assets and find young, talented players to join the organization. In the end, there’s a higher chance that most players drafted won’t actually make the NHL and even fewer will carve out meaningful roles; this means that the more dart throws the Bruins make, the better chance they have of finding long-term talent.

If Moore reaches his ceiling, he could be one of the most important picks the Bruins have made in recent years—a blend of size, skill, and smarts that could finally give them a true impact center to build around alongside James Hagens.