As the Blackhawks opened prospect camp this week ahead of this weekend’s Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, news dropped regarding the absence of one rather important piece of Chicago’s long-term plans.
The team announced that No. 2 overall pick Artyom Leshunov would not be practicing on Wednesday and later reports indicated that he won’t be on the ice for any of the week’s activities.
Levshunov was watching from the bench at Wednesday’s practice and the immediate question now turns to his availability for training camp, which opens next Wednesday. No official timetable has been set but all reports have pointed to this being more of a minor injury than anything with possible long-term ramifications.