# Artyom Levshunov

Artyom Andreyevich Levshunov (Belarusian: Арцём Андрэевіч Леўшуноў, Arciom Andrejevič Leŭshunoŭ; born October 28, 2005) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college hockey for the Michigan State Spartans. He was selected second overall by the Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL entry draft, the highest-drafted Belarusian player in NHL history.

## Playing career
### Amateur

Following the 2021–22 season, in which he scored 25 goals and 38 assists in 63 games for Team Belarus U18 in the second-tier Belarusian Vysshaya Liga, Levshunov was selected 111th overall by the Green Bay Gamblers in the 8th round of the 2022 United States Hockey League (USHL) Phase II Draft.
Debuting with the Gamblers as a 16-year-old and speaking very little English, he quickly earned his first USHL Defencemen of the Week on November 9, 2022, for a week in which he score 2 goals and 5 points in 2 games. On March 20, 2023, Levshunov earned his second USHL Defenceman of the Week with 1 goal and 4 points in 2 games. Levshunov finished the 2022–23 season with 13 goals, ranking third among USHL defensemen. After getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Dubuque Fighting Saints, Levshunov was named to the USHL First All-Rookie Team and the Third All-USHL Team.
Levshunov committed to play college ice hockey for Michigan State University in the summer of 2023. On October 7, 2023, he made his debut for the Spartans in a game against Lake Superior State. The next day, he recorded his first NCAA goal and assist, also against Lake Superior State. Levshunov finished the 2023–24 season with 9 goals and 26 assists in 38 games, placing ninth overall in total points among NCAA defencemen with 35. He was selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

### Professional
#### Chicago Blackhawks (2024–present)

Levshunov was drafted second overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL entry draft, making him the highest-drafted player from Belarus. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on July 6, 2024.
In the summer of 2024, Levshunov fractured his foot by blocking a shot during a 3v3 tournament in Florida. Despite fracturing his foot, he went on to skate for over a month, before an MRI scan at training camp revealed the injury. Although originally expected to miss only the Tom Kurver Showcase, further evaluations expected him to miss 6 weeks with 2 weeks in a walking boot. He was placed on the injured reserve on October 4, missing training camp, the preseason, and the season opener. On October 22, Levshunov was activated off the injured reserve and assigned to the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate Rockford IceHogs.

## International play

Levshunov debuted internationally with Team Belarus at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, in the Division I Group A tournament, the second tier of international junior competition. He helped the team to win a gold medal with 2 assists in 5 games.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2020–21 | Team Belarus U17 | BLR.2 | 46 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | Team Belarus U18 | BLR.2 | 46 | 25 | 38 | 63 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 2 |
| 2022–23 | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | 62 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | Michigan State University | B1G | 38 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NCAA totals | NCAA totals | NCAA totals | 38 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2022 | Belarus | WJC (Div IA) | | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |

## Awards and honours

| Award | Year |
| USHL |||
| All-USHL Third Team | 2023 |
| All-Rookie First Team | 2023 |
| College |||
| All-Big Ten First Team | 2024 |
| All-Big Ten Freshman Team | 2024 |
| Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year | 2024 |
| Big Ten Freshman of the Year | 2024 |
| AHCA West Second Team All-American | 2024 |