This week is devoted to uncontrollable hype for almost every team around the league. With the NHL’s top prospects headed to various showcases/games around the country, it’s a time for fans to get excited about the future of their franchises. The Blackhawks are headed to St. Louis this weekend, where they’ll play games against the Blues and Wild on Friday and Saturday.
When they take the ice for a few highly anticipated games, they’ll do so without top prospect Artyom Levshunov. The defenseman, who they drafted second overall this summer, is out for the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and will miss time with a foot injury.
Elliotte Friedman posted on X that Levshunov is in a walking boot and will be out for a few weeks. The injury came after he took a shot to the foot in a practice.
The injury isn’t expected to be serious, and missing the Prospect Showcase isn’t a huge deal. It would’ve been nice to see him get some run with Ethan Del Mastro if there’s a possibility the two are paired together at the NHL level someday. However, the Blackhawks are obviously more than familiar with Levshunov’s game. The fact that he’s out doesn’t change their plans with him, and if anything, it allows other players to prove themselves.
However, the idea that Levshunov would be “out a few weeks” isn’t exactly ideal because Chicago opens training camp next Wednesday. Levshunov was watching practice from the bench Wednesday, and IceHogs head coach Anders Sorensen said he “really wanted to be out there”, but it’s no secret it’s important for Levshunov to get time on the ice, both for him to get acclimated to the professional level and for his teammates to learn his game so they can build better chemistry.
The news is a bummer for those who were itching to see the star prospect play in Chicago, and could potentially cause issues in training camp. Levshunov likely won’t miss any of the actual season, but the Blackhawks’ injury bug is starting early.
