Artyom Levshunov, D, Chicago Blackhawks: Levshunov (6-2. 208) has performed well on Chicago’s third defense pair next to Wyatt Kaiser, with seven assists and a plus-3 rating in 14 games entering Sunday. The 20-year-old also sees time on the second power-play unit. Chicago has rolled with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for a majority of the season, primarily because coach Jeff Blashilll doesn’t want to put added stress on his young defense corps and because the lack of a full fourth forward line enables him to double-shift Connor Bedard in different situations. The No. 2 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft averaged 15:23 in ice time after skating 20:19 per game in 2024-25.
Chicago had a 52.3 percent shot-attempts percentage and 61.1 percent on-ice goals for percentage at even strength when he’s on the ice. Blashill believes Levshunov still has more to give, which includes possessing greater confidence in his own end, and knows it isn’t easy for a player coming over from overseas.
“When [Kaiser] has been with [Levshunov], he’s helped ‘Artie’ in the transition phase as a younger defenseman,” Blashill said.
Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks: Rinzel (6-4, 194), selected in the first round (No. 25) of the 2022 NHL Draft, is playing a top pairing role next to Alex Vlasic and was fourth among NHL rookies in average ice time (19:09) and tied for first in blocked shots (19) entering Sunday. He had three points (one goal, two assists) in 15 games after scoring 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) with a plus-20 rating in 40 games as a sophomore at the University of Minnesota in 2024-25, when he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He had five assists in nine games last season after signing his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on March 29.
“I think it goes back to the coaching staff getting on us about the little things,” Rinzel, 21, said last month. “Every shift you got to be dialed and focused on those little things. I think it’s about being confident and knowing my strengths. I like to make plays, so I think trusting those abilities and going out there and playing hard and knowing that I’ll learn along the way.”