Potential Blackhawks pick Artyom Levshunov trying to 'have fun' with NHL draft process

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Artyom Levshunov’s off-ice approach to the NHL draft process could not be more different than Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard’s approach last year.

Whereas Bedard handled the hoopla with an admirable seriousness and maturity beyond his years, Levshunov is cavorting toward this year’s draft with a lighthearted sense of humor and the unrestrained giddiness one would expect from an 18-year-old on the cusp of achieving his dream.

There’s no guarantee the Hawks will take Levshunov second overall; it seems like a dead heat at the moment between him and Ivan Demidov. Even if they don’t, however, somebody will within the first five or six picks. In his view, what’s the point of stressing about that?

"[The] combine and draft, it’s only once in our lives,” Levshunov said Saturday. "[I] try to have fun. [I] try to enjoy it.”

When he moved from Belarus to Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2022, he knew barely any English and experienced the starkest of culture shocks. He has picked up the language and found his comfort zone remarkably quickly.

Although many in the hockey community were perplexed when he switched from Green Bay’s USHL team to Michigan State before this past season, he not only emerged as one of college hockey’s best freshman defensemen but as one of college hockey’s best defensemen, period. Plus, he not only excelled athletically but also survived academically.

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “But I had English classes in my first semester. I had a tutor during this year in school. I improved a lot, actually, as a student and as a hockey player.”

On top of classes and his own hockey commitments, he spent a lot of time watching NHL games, scrutinizing and trying to pick up tips from star blue-liners such as Cale Makar, Erik Karlsson, Rasmus Dahlin and Charlie McAvoy.

One day, he might compare to those icons himself. That’s how lofty his upside is. His offensive skills are tremendous, and his defensive abilities, while not quite as refined or consistent, are also impressive.

“I like a lot of NHL players, but I try to be myself on the ice,” he said. “I try to be Artyom Levshunov.”

If he reaches his highest potential, he projects to be not purely an offensive defenseman (a la Kevin Korchinski) but an all-around No. 1 defenseman. His poise, hockey IQ, shot, skating ability, puck-moving vision, positioning, aggressiveness and defensive stick usage are all good enough to make that seem attainable.

Nothing is certain — plenty of prospects of similar acclaim have failed to pan out in the past — but the same risks apply to Demidov and anyone else the Hawks could consider. That disclaimer aside, there are a lot of reasons to love Levshunov.

His personality might be near the top of that list. During his description of his dinner with the Hawks — his only full-fledged meal with an NHL team — his boyish charm really shined through.

“It was cool,” he said. “We had food. We had some good conversations. It was a fun time. We had some fun there, had a couple beers. No, no, yeah — it was a good time.”

There was too much laughter after the beer comment to discern whether he was kidding or not, but it’s easy to imagine the Hawks’ down-to-earth duo of general manager Kyle Davidson and scouting director Mike Doneghey designing the rendezvous to be as authentic and comfortable as possible.

Now, the Hawks will shift their focus toward finally meeting Demidov at an event in Florida, then choosing between the two prospects. Davidson might be a little stressed about the difficulty of the decision, but Levshunov is not.

“Any team would be good for me,” he said. “I just wanted to be drafted.”

NOTE: At his annual news conference before the Stanley Cup Final, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman are still ineligible to be in the league. “They both reached out seeking an opportunity to come back,” he said. “It’s something I have to consider.”