Comply with our dwell protection of the 2024 NHL Draft. Comply with together with our NHL Draft grades and evaluation.
LAS VEGAS — The Chicago Blackhawks’ final Stanley Cup window shut completely with the demise of their protection.
Johnny Oduya left in free company. Niklas Hjalmarsson was traded. Brent Seabrook couldn’t bodily keep his excessive stage. Duncan Keith tried to hold the load, however it wasn’t sufficient as youthful and older reinforcements didn’t fill the holes.
Now, after years of defensive struggles, the blue line is the primary space Blackhawks basic supervisor Kyle Davidson has labored to handle within the franchise’s rebuild. After drafting a defenseman within the first spherical in every of his first two drafts, Davidson chosen his third and arguably most vital one Friday when the Blackhawks took Artyom Levshunov with the No. 2 decide within the 2024 NHL Draft.
Though the Blackhawks debated internally and had been immensely intrigued by draft prospect Ivan Demidov’s offensive skill, Chicago opted for the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Levshunov, whom they consider has the dimensions, power and two-way upside to be a future No. 1 defenseman. The Blackhawks did their homework all through the previous two years on Levshunov and had been satisfied of his potential.
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Levshunov is initially from Belarus and arrived in the US earlier than the 2022-23 season. He performed for the Inexperienced Bay Gamblers within the USHL in his first season, then went on to play faculty hockey and was a freshman defenseman at Michigan State this previous season.
The Blackhawks have one other main choice forward: whether or not to ask Levshunov to return to Michigan State for a sophomore season or flip professional. The Blackhawks might signal Levshunov and assign him to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.
Except for what the Blackhawks envision him to be, Levshunov additionally helps fill a necessity for right-handed defensemen throughout the group. Outdoors of present NHL defensemen Seth Jones and Connor Murphy, the Blackhawks solely have a number of prospects who’re right-handed. Sam Rinzel, who’s returning to the College of Minnesota for his sophomore season, can also be right-handed.
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