Artyom Levshunov

2023-24 Team: Michigan State University (NCAA)
Date of Birth: October 28, 2005
Place of Birth: Zhlobin, Belarus
Height: 6-foot-2, Weight: 198 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Defense
NHL Draft Eligibility: First year eligible

Rankings

Artyom Levshunov is an offensive defender who is looking to become the third Belarussian player drafted in the top 10, and the first to go in the top-five of an NHL Draft. Levshunov made his North American debut last season in the USHL after being drafted 111th overall by the Green Bay Gamblers, and immediately showed his potential to be a game breaking offensive talent.

Levshunov has made the transition to the NCAA look trivial this season with Michigan State University, scoring just under a point-per-game and adapting to the increased defensive challenges well. He is primarily an offensive player, leading the rush and creating tons of zone entries on his own. Levshunov is also very willing to join the rush as a trailer where he is confident both as a shooter and as a secondary playmaker.

Artyom Levshunov Michigan State University — Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State University (MSU Athletic Communications)

He skates well and is very mobile laterally which helps him manipulate passing lanes and shape his shots through traffic. Levshunov is a 6-foot-2 defender with a right-handed shot which immediately makes him a valued commodity in the NHL, even before you acknowledge his offensive skills.

While he’s on the older side for this draft class (an October birthday), Levshunov’s confidence and poise as the focal point of MSU’s offense is still remarkable for an 18-year-old defender in just his second year of North American hockey where he’s living away from his family and friends, not to mention learning a whole new language.

When Levshunov first arrived in the USHL, his defensive game was a bit of a mess. His decision-making and timing were shaky enough that his size, physicality and mobility couldn’t quite compensate. However, that didn’t last long and by the end of the season he was a dominant two-way player. A similar thing is happening this year in the NCAA for Levshunov, where he wasn’t particularly reliable defensively in the Fall but has slowly gained experience defending well against this higher level of competition.

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His defensive game will likely be the determining factor of his ultimate value in the NHL, but I’m in the camp that expects he’ll adapt well and become a legit top-pairing defender who plays big minutes and provides lots of offense on the top power play.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

Levshunov’s statistical profile in the USHL as a draft-1 player and then in the NCAA as a draft eligible one matches up well with Owen Power, the first overall pick from the 2021 Draft. Power scored 40 points in 45 USHL games (0.89 PPG) as a 17-year-old and 16 points in 26 NCAA games (0.62 PPG) at 18.

Levshunov scored 42 points in 62 USHL games (0.68 PPG) last year and has scored 32 points through 35 NCAA games (0.91 PPG) this season. His scoring in college would be talked about a lot more at this point if Zeev Buium wasn’t scoring at an even crazier 1.22 PPG rate, but Levshunov’s stat line is still incredibly impressive.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Anton Silayev

Artyom Levshunov – NHL Draft Projection

Although his defensive game is a little bit raw at this point, I am incredibly confident that Levshunov will be a top-five pick in the 2024 Draft. His offensive skills, size, and position all make him an incredibly exciting prospect and I could see him going as high as second overall to a team desperate enough for a top defensive prospect who could conceivably be a number one defender in just a few short years.

Quotables

“His abilities playing the game, passing the puck, closing, jumping up and getting the shot off at the right time. I call them subtleties and nuances but it’s also why he can play such big minutes. There’s almost no wasted energy. Everything is purposeful and efficient.” – Craig Button, TSN

“He’s a great triple threat as a physical, two-way defenseman and is as competitive as it gets. But then you’ll find his spatial awareness seems to lack in his own zone from time to time. It’s a bit nitpicky because the strengths outweigh the weaknesses, but Levshunov won’t last long on draft day.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“The offense was a calling card heading into college, but Levshunov (who starred in the USHL before that) has also proven he can defend, too. With his size, strength and two-way acumen, an NHL team won’t have to wait long for him to crack their roster.” – Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News

Strengths

Physically mature (very athletic)
Quick and agile skating
Big body checks
Rush offense
Zone exits/entries

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

Defensive decision making

NHL Potential

A low-end projection would say that Levshunov is likely to be a good top-four defender who provides most of his value on the offensive side of the puck while being at least a serviceable defender in his own end. That seems a bit conservative to me and I think it’s pretty likely he’s quite a bit more than that, with his ceiling being a dominant offensive piece who plays massive minutes at even strength and on the power play.

Risk-Reward

Risk – 2/5, Reward – 5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 10/10, Defense – 7.5/10

Awards/Trophies

2022-23: USHL All-Rookie Team
2022-23: USHL All-Star 3rd Team
2023-24: NCAA Big-10 Freshman Player of the Year
2023-24: NCAA Big-10 Defensive Player of the Year
2023-24: NCAA Top Collegiate Player (Hobey Baker Award) Nominee

Interviews/Links

Silayev, Levshunov lead loaded 2024 defensive NHL Draft Class

Artyom Levshunov: Speak Softly and Play a Big Game

Artyom Levshunov – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile