He is going to be just fine despite still being very raw.

2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft – First Round | Ethan Miller/GettyImages

When the Chicago Blackhawks drafted Artyom Levshunov with the second-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft, the team felt they had found their future number-one defenseman.

Levshunov’s stock had been rapidly increasing over the last couple of seasons after coming over to North America from Belarus.

His transition from the Belarus U18 team to the NCAA in just two short years was impressive to NHL scouts and showed the young defender’s ability to adapt in more competitive leagues.

The Blackhawks selected Levshunov with the hope of him becoming the face of the blueline in Chicago for years to come, leading to the team signing him to his entry-level contract and immediately sending him to the AHL to develop.

However, there has been recent discourse surrounding Levshunov’s development with the Rockford IceHogs. Many have expressed worries about his play and are left wanting more, but there a multitude of reasons as to why those concerns are premature.

When looking at Levshunov’s play this season, it is clear that his talents are still very raw.

His rapid ascend into higher-level leagues over a short period of time was indicative of his talent, but his jump into one of the top leagues in the world has shown that there is still work to do.

This year did not start out the way Levshunov had intended due to a foot injury sidelining him for the first few weeks of the season. Jumping right into AHL action after said injury was met with growing pains and it took some time before he began getting up to speed.

There have been good and bad moments in his rookie season as a professional, which is expected for a 19-year old defenseman. His decision making needs some work and he sometimes gets caught trying to do too much with the puck instead of making the simple play to advance the play or get out of trouble.

However, the Blackhawks’ drafted Levshunov knowing that he had raw talent yet to be uncovered, and those traits do make him a very intriguing player.

A main aspect of Levshunov’s game that made him stand out was his ability to join the rush and make himself a scoring option in the offensive zone.

Despite the growing pains he has faced in the AHL, this trait is one that he has not abandoned nor should he going forward.

With 13 points in 38 games, the points have not come as easy this season as compared to his last few. But that is not to say he isn’t trying to provide offense when he can. He is aggressive in the offensive zone and often finds himself in areas that yield high-danger scoring chances whether the puck finds him or not.

Levshunov has moments where he gets caught holding the puck too long, but that area of his game has also improved as he gets more acclimated to the speed of professional hockey. It’s traits like these that are risky but can be huge difference makers at the next level if developed correctly.

Levshunov is a confident player, which can be a double-edged sword. He loves to carry the puck and will go “big play hunting” when it’s on his stick. The confidence is great to see out of a young player, but it has burned him from time to time just because he’s not at a level where he can make the plays he used to.

This can also be said for his defensive game, where sometimes he over-commits to a play or will try too much by himself instead of a simple play and he has paid the price.

Levshunov’s physical maturity has always made him stand out amongst his peers, and he is learning to use that to his advantage at the pro level.

When young players have a size advantage, there come times where they are forced to adapt because the league is just as big and fast as they are. Levshunov has been going through this all season and his adaptability has been showing as he is learning to use his size and skating ability to his advantage slowly but surely.

The IceHogs development staff has done wonders for young defensemen in the last couple seasons that have since made their way to Chicago, and they are giving Levshunov the same treatment.

As a 19-year-old, he is playing top minutes in all situations, giving him necessary experience that had been beneficial for players like Alex Vlasic, Nolan Allan, and Kevin Korchinski.

Out of all the Blackhawks’ defensive prospects, Levshunov’s potential is the highest and he is working with a staff who has been able to get the most out of their defenders.

With being so young in one of the top leagues in the world, the growing pains were expected. But, he is still playing like the player he was drafted to be and not neutralizing his habits that had set him apart from the rest, which is a positive sign going forward.

It is likely Levshunov will make his NHL debut sometime next season, but he probably will need another full season in Rockford to develop and fine tune his game. The traits he possesses give him a very high potential, but it’ll just take time before he truly taps into it.