2025 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25: Artyom Levshunov slips slightly to No. 5

The 2025 version of Second City Hockey’s Top 25 Under 25 rankings continues with our Top 10, which will contain a lengthier breakdown of each individual who made it into that group.

Artyom Levshunov

Position: Defense

Birth date: Oct. 28, 2005 (19)

Acquired via: First-round pick (2nd overall) in 2024 NHL Draft

2024-25 team : Rockford IceHogs (AHL) | Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

2024-25 AHL stats: 22 points (5 G, 17 A) in 52 AHL games

2024-25 NHL stats: 6 assists in 18 NHL games

Size: 6-foot-2, 209 pounds

Contract: Two-years, $975,000 AAV (entry-level contract)

Rankings: 4 (Dave, LBR), 5 (Zack), 6 (Eric)

Last T25U25 ranking: No. 4, down one spot

When the Chicago Blackhawks selected Levshunov second overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, expectations were sky-high for the 6-foot-2, Belarusian defenseman, but he was also seen as a project with a good foundation and refinement needed. One year later, Levshunov’s first professional campaign has been anything but conventional: it was a season defined by growing pains, accelerated development, and flashes of top-pair potential, split between Rockford and a late-season stint in Chicago. It was an up-and-down season overall for Levshunov, with plenty of mistakes and learning moments. But the potential to be a No. 1 defensemen is obvious, and that\'s why Levshunov\'s position doesn\'t change much in these rankings.

Let\'s start with taking a look at Levshunov\'s time in Rockford, where the results were mixed early. Levshunov’s skating, sharp passes, and puck-moving ability translated quickly. His defensive reads? Less so. At times he was caught puck-watching or was slow to recover in transition and he had noticeable gaps in his positioning and defensive lapses. It was obvious that Levshunov wanted to make an impact every shift, but sometimes that meant trying to do too much -- and that led to mistakes.

Artyom Levshunov (#55) skates the puck through the defensive zone and neutral zone, but turns it over while trying to enter the offensive zone. #Blackhawks #IceHogs #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/rCAS42JZA8

— Chicago Prospects (@Chi_Prospects) January 9, 2025

Despite the offensive instincts being clear, it didn\'t quite translate to results at the start of the season: in his first 36 games with Rockford -- October though the end of January -- he recorded just two goals and nine assists for 11 points. Levshunov’s offensive game relies heavily on raw physical tools such as explosive skating and a booming shot rather than finesse or creativity. While that direct approach can still make an impact at the pro level, it demands sharper decision-making than he’d demonstrated so far in the AHL.

Here are some examples when Levshunov\'s potential is on full deplay:

The Arty Party has begun 👆

His first pro goal!! #GoHogs https://t.co/ohhnVx1vaZ pic.twitter.com/SHYT7a2zu4

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 9, 2024

Artyom Levshunov (#55) working in the defensive zone. His pass breakup eventually leads to the puck getting out of the zone #Blackhawks #IceHogs #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/w2r3e5UC7g

— Chicago Prospects (@Chi_Prospects) December 8, 2024

However, it\'s important to note that Levshunov did get better throughout those months, even if he wasn\'t necessarily being rewarded. During January in particular, there was a fairly steady stretch when he looked much more composed and confident in his own end. He started to play with more poise under pressure and was making smarter use of his physicality to gain the upper hand in defensive battles. It was slow, but patience is always key with prospects, especially defensemen. You could really see this coming together in the final game in January and the first in February when he had what were arguably his two most complete games, picking up a goal and an assist before the AHL paused for their All-Star break.

Following that break is when Levshunov’s game clicked into gear: not only did his offensive pace pick up where it left off from the two-game sample before the pause, he finally looked like he was comfortable in the AHL defensively. His gap control tightened, and he now showed a consistent willingness to challenge attackers, whether by skating, using his size, or positioning his stick effectively. His command of the blue line sharpened noticeably, with a much-improved sense of timing when delivering hits to break up zone entries or stall breakouts. Offensively, Levshunov was more assertive and active, often jumping into the play like a fourth forward, circling the net, hunting rebounds, and using his frame to carve out shooting lanes. He also began to flash budding playmaking instincts in the offensive zone, especially in terms of give-and-go plays and timely drives into the slot. With sharper execution, those elements could translate into more consistent offensive production as he continues to develop.

Outstanding sequence from Artyom Levshunov (#55). He carries the puck through all three zones and sets up Cavan Fitzgerald (#20). #Blackhawks #IceHogs #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/x4N1Z0Vtfn

— Chicago Prospects (@Chi_Prospects) February 22, 2025

The results of this improved play was seen on the scoresheet: in the 14 AHL games Levshunov played between the end of January and his Chicago call-up in March, he matched his point total from the first 36 games with 11 points (3 G, 8 A). That 0.5 point-per-game rate was a nice improvement over the 0.31 rate he was previously pacing and more in line with that was expected of him as an offensive defensemen, even if it was in a smaller sample. We cited his NHL-ready tools and growth over the course of the latter months when handing him a grade of a B-minus at the midseason mark.

https://www.secondcityhockey.com/2024-25-midseason-grades-for-blackhawks-prospects-part-ii-the-ahl-mainstays

As mentioned above, Levshunov was recalled to the Blackhawks in March, a promotion that was likely viewed as a reward for his improved play, but it also raised concerns about whether the move might disrupt his momentum in the AHL. Even a brief NHL stint, if premature, risked stalling his development before he was truly ready for the jump -- something the current Blackhawks\' front office was guilty of doing with one of their other top defensive prospects in Kevin Korchinski (and this rushing of D prospects dates back to the prior regime under Stan Bowman with defenders like Gustav Forsling, Henri Jokiharju, and Adam Bovist).

Ultimately, Levshunov’s 18-game stint in the NHL offered a compelling glimpse into both his tantalizing upside and the areas where his game still needs refinement. He started strong, making an immediate impression with the same physical tools: his smooth skating, heavy shot, and fearless approach to jumping into the play. There were flashes of elite potential with end-to-end rushes, confident puck movement under pressure, and moments when he looked every bit like a future top-pairing defenseman.

BEDSY AND ARTY 🤩 pic.twitter.com/eXsixDtiaC

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 19, 2025

But as the games wore on, it became clear that Levshunov wasn’t quite NHL-ready. His offensive instincts, while bold, often led to positional lapses as he roamed frequently in the defensive zone, chasing plays or trying to force transitions that weren’t there. He picked up six assists in those 18 games, with all but one coming in the first half of the sample. His high-risk style put extra strain on his defensive partners, who were regularly forced to compensate for his aggressive pinches or misreads. The structure and discipline required at the NHL level just wasn’t consistent in his game yet. The stint with Chicago reinforced why the organization is so high on him, that the tools are all there, but that now it’s about Levshunov harnessing them to be NHL quality.

Levshunov was reassigned to Rockford in mid-April ahead of the Calder Cup Playoffs, where he added one goal in seven postseason games. It was an underwhelming performance overall, especially given the promise he showed during stretches of the regular season. Int he first game or so, there were glimpses of his usual strengths, but as the games progressed, his play became increasingly erratic. Defensively, he struggled with consistency, his reads were often a step behind, and he was prone to getting caught out of position, particularly when trying to activate offensively. It wasn’t a disastrous showing but, like the end of his time with the Blackhawks, it highlighted areas that still need refinement and underscored the gap between potential and polish in his game.

A closer look at Levshunov\'s final regular season and playoff games can be found here:

https://www.secondcityhockey.com/blackhawks-ahl-prospect-update-5-16-final-season-evaluations

Looking ahead, Levshunov will undoubtedly be given every opportunity to earn a spot on the NHL roster, as his raw physical tools make him a tempting option for a team looking to inject talent and upside into its blue line. He has the kind of natural ability that forces coaching staffs to take a long look in camp, and his flashes of high-end play have already shown he can hang, at least in spurts, at the NHL level. That said, the more measured path might ultimately serve Levshunov best. While his ceiling is undeniably high, Levshunov’s game still needs work, particularly in his defensive reads, positional discipline, and decision-making under pressure. His development path has already been quite steep and he\'s not necessarily been fully prepared for the rise in competition at every level. More time in the AHL where he can log big minutes, continue to polish his instincts, and work through mistakes without the spotlight could pay major dividends in the long run.

In short, while Levshunov may break camp with the NHL team due to sheer talent alone, a more patient approach might be the wiser route. Giving him the time and space to mature his game could help him not just make the NHL, but thrive there as a long-term impact defenseman with a ceiling as a No. 1. And for the Blackhawks, that’s exactly what they need: a franchise defenseman to grow alongside Connor Bedard. So they really cannot afford to make a mistake with Levshunov\'s development because he\'s got the making of just such a defensemen.

The great @BrockOtten from @mckeenshockey on Artyom Levshunov #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/EKvC55huL6

— The Prospect Don (@TheProspectDon) September 3, 2025

2025 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25 list (so far): No. 6: Spencer Knight No. 7: Anton Frondell No. 8: Roman Kantersov No. 9: Kevin Korchinski No. 10: Oliver Moore No. 11-15: Lardis, Del Mastro, Kaiser, Boisvert, Reichel No. 16-20: Dach, Nestrasil, Commesso, Greene, Vanacker Nos. 21-25: Allan, Slaggert, Behm, Spellacy, Mustard Honorable Mentions: Pridham, Savoie, West

Artyom Levshunov

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