The first full NHL season for Artyom Levshunov did not unfold the way the Chicago Blackhawks were hoping. The talent was there.
The flashes were there. But so were the mistakes, the uneven stretches, and the reminders that the No. 2 overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft is still very much a work in progress.
Levshunov opened the year showing some offensive pop, though Jeff Blashill’s seven-defensemen setup kept his minutes down early. Once the workload increased, the rough edges became harder to ignore. His play slipped enough that he was eventually sent to the bench, then into what was described as “going back to school” during the middle of the season.
The reset came during the Olympic break, when Levshunov headed to Florida to get back to the basics. After the NHL resumed, there were signs of progress.
He looked more structured in his own end and, even if the box score didn’t jump off the page, he finished the season handling top-pairing minutes. The idea of Levshunov is still intact; it’s just taking longer than many expected for it to show up consistently.
His season also ended a little early because of an injury that kept him out for the last two-plus weeks. Still, he managed to get into 68 games and finished with 24 points, which ranked 10th on the roster.
For a player with his draft status, the bar is higher now. Year two is about a real step forward.
The grades reflected that uneven year. Blackhawks Cowboy gave Levshunov a C, pointing to a December stretch during Connor Bedard’s injury when he produced six points in eight games, but also calling him “infuriating to watch.”
Tony Marchese also landed on a C, citing mental lapses, turnovers, unnecessary goals, and play that left plenty of frustration in its wake. Ron Luce matched the same grade, describing a season shaped by benchings, a healthy scratch, and an in-season training camp.
There’s still belief in the upside, and the Blackhawks will need it to come to life. Levshunov’s growth matters even more now, especially with Bowen Byram added to the blue line this offseason. If Levshunov starts putting the pieces together, Chicago’s defense could become a real strength for years to come.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Rebuild Could Speed Up If This Draft Plan Happens
The Blackhawks long rebuild has always been about timing as much as talent, and one of the next big tests may come well before the 2027 draft. Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Chicago is expected to use at least some of its stockpile of future first-round picks to upgrade the NHL roster, a sign that the front office may be ready to turn surplus draft capital into a more immediate help. Around the league, recent trades involving first-rounders for young players have shown how aggressively teams can move when they see a chance to accelerate the climb.
For a Chicago team still shaping its core, that kind of move would mark a meaningful shift in strategy and a bet that the next step comes faster through the trade market than the draft. The Blackhawks have three 2027 first-round picks at their disposal, and the question now is not whether they can afford to spend them, but how much of that future capital they are willing to convert into present-day impact. Around the hockey world, other roster moves also kept the transaction wire active, with Linus Oberg heading to Kiekko-Espoo and Igor Ozhiganov extending with Dynamo Moscow. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Made Bowen Byram Their Biggest Defensive Bet
Bowen Byram is arriving in Chicago with the kind of runway the Blackhawks have been trying to build around their blue line. General manager Kyle Davidson made clear the organization sees far more than a short-term add-on here, pointing to Byram as someone who can grow into a top defenseman for the franchise. Byram, for his part, sounded eager to take on the responsibility and get to work with a team still shaping its next core.
The move fits the Blackhawks broader push to turn promise into something sturdier, and it comes with a level of commitment that makes this more than a routine trade deadline swing. Byrams contract gives Chicago long-term control and plenty of certainty, which only raises the stakes on whether he can become the kind of difference-maker the front office believes it is getting. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Davidson Just Gave Blackhawks Fans A Fresh Reason For Hope
Kyle Davidson spent part of his offseason public-facing turn giving Blackhawks fans a clearer look at where the rebuild stands and why the organization believes it is moving in the right direction. In a podcast appearance, the general manager discussed the teams busy summer and offered a window into the work happening behind the scenes as Chicago continues sorting out its long-term plan.
For a fan base that has lived through years of turnover, any sign of steadiness from the top matters. Davidsons comments arrived amid a busy stretch around hockey, with the Red Wings still looking for a new general manager, Simon Despres landing with the Fort Wayne Komets and Kelly Hrudeys run at Sportsnet ending after 28 years, but the Blackhawks piece is the one that will resonate most in Chicago because it points back to the future the franchise is trying to build. [Read more 🡒]