Yesterday, we discussed Ivan Demidov’s potential fit with the Blackhawks. The Russian forward, if drafted by Chicago, would form a lethal duo with Connor Bedard down the road, one that draws plenty of historical comparisons to tandems like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin or Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
The potential for such a top line would make drafting Demidov at No. 2 overall a no-brainer, but the Blackhawks’ decision is anything but. That’s because defensive prospect Artyom Levshunov boasts so much talent and fits their rebuild so well that he makes Chicago’s draft day decision an impossible one.
The consensus best defender in the class has more than his fair share of talent, even though Demidov is often heralded as the second most talented player in the 2024 class after Macklin Celebrini. Levshunov is a big-bodied defenseman who excels offensively, finding great passing and shooting lanes and driving the puck with efficiency. Dubbed the best defenseman in the Big Ten this past season, the 18-year-old was a nearly point-per-game player facing tough competition. Levshunov’s creative, aggressive play, as well as his strong hands and solid speed, make him extremely likely to be taken within the top three picks this summer.
It’s true that the Blackhawks are developing strong talent on the defensive end of their prospect pool, with skaters like Wyatt Kaiser, Ethan Del Mastro, and Nolan Allan looking to join young stars like Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic at the NHL level. However, premier defensive talent is hard to come by at this level, especially big, impactful, two-way players like Levshunov. History has shown teams are more prone to taking that archetype over smaller wingers high in the draft. Additionally, with young, talented skaters now flooding the professional ranks in Chicago, this team may finally be ready to see its full potential as early as next season. Given that defensive prospects often take longer to develop than forwards, would the Blackhawks consider grabbing a top-tier talent that could be ready to contribute even sooner?
Speaking of arrival time, Levshunov may have a leg up on his Russian counterpart given his situation. The risk involved with Demidov is that he hasn’t been seen much in person and won’t be able to come to the NHL until at least next fall, if not later. For Levshunov, even though he’s committed to returning to Michigan State, we could see him with the Blackhawks as early as the end of this season. While GM Kyle Davidson has been clear that Demidov’s situation isn’t an issue for Chicago, more clarity with Levshunov is certainly a factor to consider.
Levshunov may not boast as much upside as Demidov, but his unique fit and lack of risks could make him a more appealing option for Chicago. Levshunov is a one-of-a-kind defensive prospect, and it’ll be tough for the Blackhawks to pass up the opportunity to draft him.
