2024 Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Projections: Artyom Levshunov
THN's own Ryan Kennedy released his Mid-Term 2024 NHL Draft Rankings: The First Round Projection on The Hockey News main site in February. And it got us thinking, who in the top 5 should the CBJ draft?
One name that folks around the Midwest should be familiar with is Artyom Levshunov. The young defenseman from Belarus had a very good year for the Michigan State Spartans hockey program, leading them to a 25-10-3 overall record.
In his article from February Kennedy says about Levshunov:
Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State (NCAA): 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.
Stats: In his Freshman year for Michigan State he had 9 goals and 35 points. He also added 44 PIms and was a +27, which was a team-best. He finished one point behind the team leader in points with 35.
Measurements: 6-foot-2. 210 lbs
What Scouts Are Saying
hockeywiz777scouting.com - Arytom Levshunov’s mobility, transitional play, and two-way game instantly stands out. He’s such a smooth skater and has the ability to walk the line effectively when in the offensive zone. He has great awareness and IQ in the offensive zone, knowing when to jump into the play for a shot or keep plays alive along the boards. At 6 foot 2, 198 pounds, he’s a big, strong, right-shot defenceman who has significant upside offensively. Levshunov has a hard and accurate from the point and finds ways to get them on goal, through traffic, from range.
FloHockey.TV - Apr 13, 2023 - [He can] possess the puck in situations where you might tell another defenseman, ‘Hey, we need to move it there,’ and with him, it's more, ‘Okay, just do your thing,’ because more times than not, he'll just make an elite play that you just don't see regularly.
DobberProspects.com - November 17th, 2023 - Levshunov finished his NCAA campaign as one of the highest-scoring draft-eligible defensemen in history; not bad for a kid who was playing in Belarus 2 years ago! The growth he’s made is staggering and he’s defined himself as one of the more “toolsy” players of this year's draft. His combination of size, speed, and skill should see him go very early on draft day; but he’s not without his concerns. Levshunov is still adjusting to the NA game, and while it has improved, the unrefined defensive game and some poor habits still plague viewings. That said, it’s very reassuring that Levshunov has shown the effort and ability to improve as the season has gone on. He’s not likely to be ready out the gate, but given some time an NHL team should be able to carve him into a top 4 defenseman with relative ease. If his offensive game can adapt or translate to the NHL, he can be headlining his franchise’s d-core for years to come.
Many people who follow the Blue Jackets want them to draft another defenseman. Levshunov is a right-shot defenseman who finished #2 on the NHL's Central Scouting Top 32 North American Skaters ranking, ahead of Sam Dickinson who many think will be the first D-Man taken. But will he be there at pick four, where the CBJ hope to stay if they're not allowed to move up?
As of now, there is no indication of whether or not Levshunov is going pro, or staying in school. The Hockey News' Tony Ferrari thinks he should stay in school, saying, "I remain of the opinion that he should go back to MSU for at least one more season because he needs to continue rounding his game out and learning how to balance his wild cowboy offensive game with a more reserved and controlled defensive game."
More From THN Columbus
Join Jason Newland's Columbus Blue Jacket page on Bunches, a new app that connects sports fans. Also, you can watch a new YouTube game show about the Blue Jackets, Around the Fifth Line.