It’s always hard to separate Eastern European bias from players on a draft board, but fear not! I know you may see this name and that face and think of an enemy, but do not be discouraged
After all, he is born of harder stuff, choosing every day to live in a post-soviet hellscape. A place where god seemingly stole all color from the world, and he takes it in the chin without complaint, as many of his homeland do. So please, let us all learn about the tale of this young man, who chose this year to play, of his own accord, mind you! in the brutalist, taciturn…
[checks notes]
…East Lansing, Michigan. Huh.
…I mean if you look at it from a certain angle when it’s overcas-
Who is He?
Artyom Levshunov is a Belarusian-born Right-Shot Defenseman, who measures up to 6’2, and weighs in at 198 pounds. He plays for the Michigan State Spartans in the NCAA Division 1, playing in the Big 10 Conference.
What’s He Good At?
Offense.
Levshunov is built like what you imagine an modern NHL defender to be; he’s 6’2, he definitely looks the part of a hard nosed defender…and then you watch him play. Artyom Levshunov is astonishing at how good he is as a play-starter, extender, and finisher, all from the blueline. He finished his year with Sparty with 35 points in 38 games, which is good for second best on the Spartans as a defender, and 9th overall in the nation. He’s got a really good shot, capable of wiring the puck just about anywhere on the ice (though he loves rolling into the ) but his real strength on offense is his playmaking; especially through passing. He can deliver pucks with efficiency and smooth motion to his teammates that makes it seem effortless, and can find them space that their own forecheck maybe couldn’t. Leshunov’s ability to read a defense turns him into an all-important force multiplier for the Spartans, creating opportunities that kept Michigan State in the top 5 teams in the Nation.
On top of that, he’s a pretty damn good skater; having nice smooth strides and plenty of speed in both a straight line, and in his turning and lateral movement. His strong, agile skating makes him a force to be reckoned with in a stingy Big 10; allowing him to either bring the puck out of the zone under his own power, or to be a dangerous second option after the puck pops out of a net-front pile. It’s that instinct on offense that made Michigan State a feared team in College Hockey this year; their second chance opportunities were just as dangerous as the ones off the rush or cycle…and he was a HUGE part of it.
What Does He Need To Work on?
Defense. Just in general defense.
The reality of an offense-first defenseman is that no matter what it is you do, you’re going to be looking for that quick break or trying to find a chance out of his own end. He is totally willing to jump in physically and throw a big hit to separate a forechecker from the puck….but sometimes he’s too willing, jumping entirely out of position to take a body, and can get flummoxed by skillful plays from puck carriers; forcing him to overcorrect, which can either work out beautifully for him…or get him caught even further out of position. Granted, with his skating skills he can correct, but it’s still something that he needs to figure out if he wants to be an NHLer; there’s a lot of guys who would love to turn you into a highlight reel if you bite too early on a move.
Further, for a 6’2 dude…he doesn’t always use that imposing frame to it’s fullest extent in the defensive zone, preferring to be more of a deterrent via skating into a shooting lane. With a little more confidence in his abilities in front of his goalie, I think he could find himself as a 1a or 1d blueliner!
My Verdict
Levshunov is not going to be available by the time the Kraken get to him. I’m pretty sure of that.
Levshunov’s impressive work in the Big 10, and even his foibles to an extent, gives the impression that he’s a player who can only get better; that going from the USHL to College was definitely a challenging step, but his production as a blueliner has stayed steady. That gives the impression that Levshunov’s issues may just be from rookie jitters, and he could be so, so much more. Combine all that with his playmaking, physicality, size, and handedness…you would have to be very skeptical of his defensive deficiencies to not think he’s worth at least a Top 5 pick. You wouldn’t even have to worry about the European factor; he’s been living in the midwest for the past two years!
But! As I’ve said over and over and over throughout the last two weeks, the crop of top 10 defenders in the draft is strong; If you want bigger than him, you can get it. If you want more scoring than he has, you can get it. If you want more speed than he has…well, you can get that too. I think his overall ability suggests he’ll be off the board long before Seattle can even hope to get him. His upside just seems too good to let fall 4 or 5 spots.
But we’ve said that about a bunch of guys before. The Draft’s funny sometimes.
DJLR relies on the support of the community to keep the site going and our writers paid. Any donation is appreciated.