NEWSLETTER
Since the draft — including their free agency barrage — there’s been a lot of questions about where the Chicago Blackhawks see the No. 2 pick from the 2024 NHL Draft, Artyom Levshunov, playing the coming season. We’re slowly starting to see picks getting contracts done, but it’s been quiet on the prospect front in Chicago during their development camp.
With the additions of Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie on the back end, the Blackhawks have plenty of NHL bodies available. Kevin Korchinski spent his entire season in the NHL last year as a teenager. Wyatt Kaiser has seen some run and developed well in Rockford last year. Ethan Del Mastro was the IceHogs’ AHL all-star and saw some NHL action late in the year. And Nolan Allan had a strong first professional season.
Blackhawks assistant GM of player development Mark Eaton spoke with the media on Wednesday and made it sound like the organization would like him to be in the AHL this year so they can work with him more closely.
“Being able to be hands-on every single day is a huge bonus. That is the line that we walk with our amateur prospects, is the realization that they all play for other coaches, they all play in different systems, so if we have the ability to have him in-house and our great development staff in Rockford working with him on a daily basis to start to close that gap between where he is and where he needs to go, I think it’s only a bonus.”
Levshunov was relatively quiet during his media availability, but was asked about the decision. He said it’s a joint decision that he’ll make with his advisors and the front office.
On Wednesdya, I asked two Blackhawks prospects who were in the Big Ten as fellow freshman last year, Minnesota’s Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel, for their scouting reports of Levshunov as opponents. Here’s Moore’s answer:
#Blackhawks prospect Oliver Moore’s scouting report on Artyom Levshunov. They were B1G opponents this past season at @GopherHockey & @MSU_Hockey pic.twitter.com/5GnzrSC3rp— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) July 3, 2024
“The first thing that really jumps off the page is he’s really offensive. In our pre scouts I remember that’s what we had for him was really offensive jumps into the play is smart with it. Obviously skating ability and how big he is — he can close really well. I think he’s an all around player and I think the Blackhawks are pumped to have him for sure.”
Physically, Levshunov already looks like one of the bigger prospects in the development camp. He certainly looks the part of a pro-ready hockey player. There are obviously benefits to him returning to a strong Big Ten conference at Michigan State, but playing a full season of 82 games has big potential as well.
As we wait for a contract decision in the coming days, it’s clear the Blackhawks — and some of their own internal prospects — are excited to have Levshunov in the fold.
