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Chicago Blackhawks’ defenseman Artyom Levshunov had a rough night against the Carolina Hurricanes. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Blackhawks’ Levshunov Showing Improvement Post-Olympic Break

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Brooke LoFurno | Last updated Mar 2, 2026 4:00 PM ET

When the Chicago Blackhawks resumed their season post-Olympic break, there was one player that many were watching: defenseman Artyom Levshunov.

This is because he was a healthy scratch three games before the Olympic break, giving him the opportunity to work and “reset some foundational things,” according to head coach Jeff Blashill.

The Blackhawks are three games back from their break. Here is an update on how Levshunov is faring.

Levshunov’s Process Coming Along With Blackhawks

When it came to what the Blackhawks wanted from Levshunov, Blashill mentioned the need to balance remaining defensively sound with learning to produce offense. He has the talent to be a strong two-way defenseman. It’s a big reason why they drafted him second overall in 2024. He is tied for 14th in the league among rookies in points with 22, and tied for fourth in assists with 20.

However, when it comes to defense, he can sometimes be an adventure. Which is the case for many rookie defensemen. As a result, their mistakes are usually loud and stand out the most.

For example, in their game against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 26, he turned the puck over to Filip Forsberg, who scored to give the Predators the opening goal. But, in that same breath, he also helped stop a significant scoring chance by the Predators, too.

Then, he had a solid performance against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 28, where he made a big play to stop Brock Nelson on an odd-man rush. Assistant coach Anders Sorensen told Tony Granato during the intermission on the CHSN broadcast about Levshunov’s game in contrast to the Predators game, “No, I agree- much better. He’s taken initiatives, and like, to your point, he’s physical- that’s when he’s at his best. So, we got to keep doing that, you know, keep building off of that for him.”

It’s part of the “rollercoaster” of development that Blashill has been talking about with the young players all season (Levshunov is 20). But they are focusing on the positives.

As Blashill said about Levshunov pregame on March 1, “I thought he’s played two good games, and unfortunately, been on the ice for, you know, important goals against- one each game. But honestly, I think if you look at… in totality, I think he’s played two pretty solid games. I think defensively, he’s been pretty good. So, you know, I’m not concerned about it. It’s just unfortunately, again, I think when the puck goes in the net… you know… all the lights go off, one light goes on, and you’re in the spotlight there, you know. But ultimately, our job is to judge the process, and I think he’s done a pretty good job, process-wise, over the last couple of games.”

Levshunov Showing “What He’s Capable Of”

The Blackhawks’ game against the Utah Mammoth on March 1 was a standout, where Levshunov was a plus-1 with an assist on Landon Slaggert’s goal. That is where you could see the best of him. He was productive with three shots on goal, two blocked shots, and two hits in 17:04 minutes of ice time.

In a 4-0 win where everyone was on their game, that is what Levshunov needed. Teammate Alex Vlasic was impressed, as well: “Yeah, tonight was excellent. I think he was using his body, using his frame. He’s one of the stronger guys out there, I think, and it was evident tonight. He’s pushing guys around, kind of bullying some guys down low. And, you know, that’s his game. I think he’s obviously really skilled with the puck offensively, and once he gets his feet moving, he’s fantastic. But tonight, it was an unbelievable showing from him, just defensively, and kind of showed everybody what he’s capable of.”

The Blackhawks have been focused on the process all season long. They have been working extra hard with Levshunov because they see his potential and want to bring out his best, and their plan to have him reset may have worked. It is likely validating for the coaching staff, too, knowing that Blashill was pleased with what he saw from Levshunov during practices in the mini training camp. He explained on Feb. 23 his thoughts on how they got back to the basis of playing good defense first, and moving from there.

Furthermore, Blashill’s encouragement, based on what he saw, prompted him to finish with, “So, I expect him to play good hockey.”

It doesn’t mean Levshunov won’t have occasional hiccups, but he is showing improvements, and that is what it is all about for the Blackhawks.

One day, all the tools will come together for him. But these three games have shown more of them, and the team hopes that continues.