One year after selecting Connor Bedard, the Chicago Blackhawks picked Artyom Levshunov, a projected top-line defender
The Chicago Blackhawks have a top-two draft pick for the second year. This year the Hawks decided to go defense and selected Artyom Levshunov with the No.2 pick.
Levshunov becomes the highest-picked Belarus native in NHL history. Levshunov is coming off of a solid freshman year at Michigan State. He recorded 35 points on nine goals and 26 assists in 38 games. Standing at 6′ 2″ and weighing 210 pounds, the 18-year-old Levshunov is already a physical presence on the ice.
How Levshunov fits the Blackhawks’ rebuild plans
Levshunov slides into a major area of need for the Chicago Blackhawks. The defense was one of the team’s biggest weaknesses in the 2023 season. Giving up goals often put the young inexperienced Blackhawks in early holes that they struggled to get out of.
The team found success by lighting the lamp first, and not going down by multiple goals early. The Hawks lacked veteran depth in their defense core. Which left young players like Korchinski and Vlasic to carry a large workload. Adding Levshunov should help balance some of the ice time with the other young defensemen.
Levshunov has a decent eye for setting up offense in the opponent’s zone. Strong vision and passing skills allow him to find teammates in a position to shoot.
However, Levshunov can sometimes find himself overextending into the offensive zone and leaving the door open for breakaway chances.
This can be fixed. Levshunov will have the chance to learn from his teammates and coaches once he arrives at the Blackhawks training facility. NHL experience could also help the rookie overcome this issue. For a player physically ready for the league like Levshunov, experience might be the best tool.
Takeaway’s from the Blackhawks pick
Levshunov was the safe pick with the No.2 selection. Levshunov was the highest-rated defenseman in a very deep defensive 2024 NHL draft class (although, it was a close call between Levshunov and Ivan Demidov for best d-man). Levshunov is a relatively complete prospect, he has the physical attributes you want from a young D man in the NHL.
Regardless of being safe or not, this pick is still good for the Blackhawks. Levshunov being added to the roster adds more talent. At this point in the rebuild, that is what the team needs. Levshunov doesn’t need to become fellow MSU Spartan Duncan Keith, who helped the Blackhawks secure three Stanley Cup championships. But if he does, that would be great.
Levshunov needs to be the best player he can be. Whether that is a top line defenseman with Kevin Korchinski or Alex Vlasic, or maybe he’s a second or third line defenseman in the future.
Ideally, you want your top two draft pick to be a first liner. Fortunately, the Blackhawks have the luxury of having more defensive prospects on the way. Still to come within the Hawks’ system are Sam Rinzel, Wyatt Kaiser, Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan. All are on the way. The Blackhawks have more chances at elite defensemen if Levshunov isn’t.
Artyom Levshunov is a good hockey player. He was high on many draft boards for a reason. He is was highly valued as a prospect. If the Chicago Blackhawks hadn’t drafted him, another team in the top 5 likely would have.
Connor Bedard is sill very young. He will be 19 when the 2024 NHL season starts. There is still time to build a championship roster around him. Levshunov may not be a flashy pick, but he should be solid. Only time will tell if he will be able to take a step up and become a great pick.
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