Blackhawks rookie Oliver Moore learning he really is fast enough to blow past NHL competition

Blackhawks rookie Oliver Moore’s speed turned an otherwise-nondescript puck flip out of the defensive zone by fellow forward Frank Nazar into a semi-breakaway Saturday.

Moore blew past Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe down the left wing, reaching a top speed of 21.62 mph — his fastest recorded speed in his first six NHL games this season — to get to the puck first and generate a quality chance in alone on goalie Joseph Woll.

That exemplified the potentially game-changing aspect of Moore’s skating, which immediately has made him an asset to the Hawks since his call-up at the beginning of the month.

Moore, 20, projects to be a Swiss Army knife who can fill any role in the top or bottom six, and he already has been used as such by head coach Jeff Blashill.

As a result, his niche probably always will be based more on his skills than on his role, given that the latter likely will change frequently. He still is learning how best to use his skills — particularly his one elite skill — at the NHL level, however.

‘‘Every game is an opportunity for me to show what I can do and also [to] get better and improve,’’ Moore said Friday.

During the second period Wednesday against the Devils, for example, Moore created a possible breakaway out of nowhere by building up speed on a breakout from the defensive zone, evading one opponent in the neutral zone and then catching a couple of others flat-footed as he raced across the offensive blue line.

But instead of trying to beat Ondrej Palat and Stefan Noesen to the net, which it appeared he probably could do, Moore tried to force an improbable pass to Connor Bedard, who was trailing the play. The pass hit a skate and went awry.

That opportunity was wasted, but it added another data point to Moore’s mental calculation that he really is faster than most NHL competition. When he’s moving, he can beat almost anyone.

‘‘It’s a learning curve,’’ Moore said. ‘‘I think Connor would’ve been wide-open, and with his shot, you want to take that in those areas all day long. [You need to] know who you’re out there with. But [when you] beat those first couple of guys and you have a lane, you might have more time and space than you think.

‘‘I definitely, on the bench, had a little feeling that I could’ve had a breakaway there.’’

Moore earned a secondary assist on Teuvo Teravainen’s tying goal Saturday and now has three points in six games, during which he also has had 20 speed bursts faster than 20 mph. It seems likely he won’t return to the AHL anytime soon.

Analytics models continue to evaluate the Hawks’ team play negatively, but Moore has been one exception. They’ve credited the Hawks with a 36-34 advantage in scoring chances during his five-on-five ice time, making him the only forward on the team above 50% during this span.

Another area in which Moore has been surprisingly effective is in battles below the goal line in the offensive zone. That isn’t exactly what one would expect from a speedy, undersized guy, but he has set up a handful of chances for teammates by winning battles down low.

Before practice Friday, Moore talked with Hawks skills coach Brian Keane about that. He thinks it always has been a strength of his, dating to when he watched YouTube videos of Sidney Crosby protecting the puck when he was a kid.

Moore’s quickness, footwork and scrappiness make it difficult for bigger defensemen to pin him against the boards.

‘‘Any time you can draw a couple of guys in, the slot is open down there a lot,’’ Moore said. ‘‘It’s definitely something I take pride in.’’