Follow our live coverage of the 2024 NHL Draft. Follow our NHL Draft grades and analysis.
LAS VEGAS — The Chicago Blackhawks' chances of winning a Stanley Cup final were gone forever after their defense collapsed.
Johnny Oduya left in free agency. Nicolas Hjalmarsson was traded. Brent Seabrook couldn't maintain his high level physically. Duncan Keith tried to shoulder the load, but it wasn't enough as young and old reinforcements failed to fill the holes.
Now, after several years of defensive struggles, the blue line is the first area Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has worked on in rebuilding the franchise. After selecting a defenseman in the first round in each of his first two drafts, Davidson made his third and arguably most important selection Friday when the Blackhawks took Artem Levshunov with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
Although the Blackhawks debated internally and were extremely impressed with the offensive potential of draft prospect Ivan Demidov, Chicago selected the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Levshunov, who they believe has the size, strength and two-way ability to be a future No. 1 defenseman. The Blackhawks did their homework on Levshunov over the past two years and were confident in his potential.
“I think (he's) the total package,” Davidson said. “Offensively, he can attack, he can skate, he's super mobile, he's got good size, he's aggressive, he's a physical defender, and we think there's going to be a lot more of that to come. So, the package as well as the potential growth that comes with that — it was very interesting and we really felt it would make us a better organization.”
go deeper
Exclusive: Blackhawks chairman Danny Wirtz talks Davidson, the rebuild and the draft
Levshunov is originally from Belarus and arrived in the United States ahead of the 2022-23 season. He played for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL in his first season, then went on to play college hockey and was a freshman defenseman at Michigan State last season.
Blackhawks amateur scouting director Mike Donaghey believes Levshunov can go a long way.
“I think he's a big guy, even though he's a big guy,” Donaghey said. “You look at him and he has long arms and legs – it's just that he hasn't trained in North America. In August, he goes to Michigan State, so he hasn't even had college training sessions like most kids do. I think his potential is huge.”
The Blackhawks face another big decision: whether to ask Levshunov to return to Michigan State for a second season or turn pro. The Blackhawks could sign Levshunov and assign him to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.
“I’ll probably talk to (Levshunov’s agent) Dan Milstein and let him know our opinion on what we think and what we believe is the best path, but we’ll let him know that first,” Davidson said about where Levshunov will play next season.
In addition to the way the Blackhawks view Levshunov, he also helps fill a need for a right-handed defenseman within the organization. Aside from current NHL defensemen Seth Jones and Connor Murphy, the Blackhawks only have a few players who are right-handed. Sam Rinzel, who is returning to the University of Minnesota for his second year, is also a right-hander.
Required Reading
(Photo: Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images)