Artyom Levshunov’s first few games of the season have looked nothing like the rough stretch that put him under the microscope last year.
The Blackhawks defenseman, taken second overall in 2024, has started to look like a different player over the opening nine games of the young season. His skating has taken a noticeable jump, and that extra burst has changed everything around his game. He’s getting around the ice more easily, handling the puck with more confidence, and showing a willingness to jump into open space no matter where he is - offensive zone, neutral zone or his own end.
That wasn’t the story last season, when expectations were piled onto him far too quickly. After joining NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, general manager Kyle Davidson and Connor Bedard on stage on draft night, Levshunov signed his three-year, entry-level contract and went straight to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. He handled that assignment well enough to earn a call-up, then appeared in the final 18 games of the 2024-25 season for Chicago and picked up six assists.
The next year was much harsher. Levshunov was no longer being eased along.
He was asked to fill the role of the No. 1 defender the Blackhawks needed, and he was doing it without a full NHL season behind him. The result was a difficult run in which he often looked out of sync, drifted out of position and struggled to make clean decisions with the puck in his own zone.
A wrist injury ended that season early, and by the end of the 2025-26 campaign, he promised he would return better.
So far, he has.
His overtime winner against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 15 turned that progress into something tangible. The sequence was quick.
Bedard entered the zone and drew two defenders, then slipped a behind-the-back pass to Levshunov, who found the puck, glided into the slot and buried it. Afterward, he skated to Patrick Kane and jumped into his arms, nearly knocking him over in the celebration.
Levshunov’s surge has also come alongside Bowen Byram’s improvement since the season-opening road trip. And at 21, Levshunov is still only beginning to tap into what he can become.
After the game, he told Darren Pang, “Hockey is fun.”
That line fits where he is right now. After a stretch of doubts and pressure, Levshunov is back to playing with a lighter feel - and the Blackhawks are seeing the payoff.
In Other News...
One Blackhawks Legend Proved Even A Bitter Return Can Change
Brady Tkachuks return to Ottawa in a Panthers sweater was the kind of reunion that instantly turned sour, with boos and chants greeting him from the stands. For Blackhawks fans, the scene probably carried a familiar edge. Chicago once had its own bitter homecoming involving Chris Chelios, who came back to the United Center as a Red Wings player in 1999 and found out quickly how unforgiving a crowd can be when a former favorite is wearing the wrong sweater.
Chelios story is a reminder that a hostile return does not always define the whole relationship. What starts as a raw, emotional moment can soften over time, even after a player has crossed to a rival and taken the reception head-on. For the Blackhawks, his path from villain to honored alum is part of why these returns matter so much, and why a single night can say less about the end of a bond than the beginning of a new chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Get Encouraging Bowen Byram Update At Crucial Time
The Blackhawks got a small but timely boost on the injury front with Bowen Byram making progress in his recovery as the team continues to manage a stretch where every healthy defenseman matters. Byram has been dealing with an upper-body injury, and while he is still being watched closely, Chicago at least has reason to feel better about where things are headed.
There is still no clear timeline, which keeps the situation from fully settling down for a team that can ill afford many more setbacks on the blue line. Bowen remains day-to-day, and with the schedule moving quickly, Chicago will be monitoring his status closely as it tries to piece together its defense in the near term. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks May Finally Have A Chance To Build Real Momentum
Connor Bedards return has given the Blackhawks a little more structure, and the results have started to follow. Chicago has won two of its last three games, with the offense showing a more balanced look than it did earlier in the season. Instead of leaning on a single source, the Blackhawks have gotten contributions from a young group down the middle, a encouraging sign for a team still trying to find a steady identity.
The bigger opportunity may be ahead, where the schedule opens a door for Chicago to string together some results and settle into a rhythm. The upcoming stretch comes against a run of opponents that have had trouble keeping the puck out of their own net, which gives the Blackhawks a chance to turn this small uptick into something more lasting. For a young team, that kind of run can matter as much for confidence as it does for the standings. [Read more 🡒]