How the Blackhawks’ Artyom Levshunov is embracing Chicago and committing to his next step

Posted July 30, 2026 11:01 am

By Scott Powers

Artyom Levshunov can’t believe the size of the strawberry shortcake in front of him.

The 20-year-old Chicago Blackhawks defenseman isn’t too far removed from burning calories at that morning’s workout, but he can’t envision finishing the shortcake that measures nearly a foot high.

“I think we should share this,” Levshunov says with a laugh. “Look at this plate. I’m not going to eat too much.”

And he didn’t. The youthfulness behind the order was balanced by his commitment to fitness and his role as a professional hockey player that kept him from devouring it all. He ate about a quarter of the cake before retiring his fork, then quickly declined when offered some to take home.

This has been the summer of Levshunov in Chicago. He had originally planned to split his summer between Florida and Chicago, but after a short time in Florida after the Blackhawks season, he decided it was best to spend a majority of the summer in Chicago. He’s been training three to four days a week on and off the ice. When away from the rink, he has seen the city, eaten at some of his favorite restaurants (including Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, where he had the strawberry shortcake), hung out with teammates and got together with some Russian and Belarusian Chicagoans he’s met over the last few years. He was hoping to get in some golfing and fishing by the end of the summer.

South Florida has become a home away from home for Levshunov. It’s where he spent all his summers since leaving Belarus in 2022. He had gotten comfortable there and was surrounded by many players from Belarus and Russia. It felt like a community. But Levshunov knew coming to Chicago this summer was in his best interest. He left Belarus at 16 — he hasn’t been back since — with the singular goal of playing in the NHL. He’s already met that mark; he’s played in 86 NHL games for the Blackhawks, but he recognizes he still has a ways to go before being the type of NHL defenseman he wants to be.

After five home cities in four years, Levshunov is staying put in Chicago in pursuit of consistency and the next step in his development.

“I have to take that (step),” Levshunov said. “I have to. I should take it. Every year, it’s about getting better than last year.”

Last season was up and down for Levshunov.

For stretches, he looked like the promising offensive defenseman the Blackhawks thought he could be when drafting him with the No. 2 pick in 2024. Other times, he was a defensive liability who seemed lost on the ice. He was one of the youngest defensemen in the NHL over the last two seasons. He’s played more NHL games than any defenseman drafted in 2023, 2024 or 2025. But with that NHL exposure at such an early age, he’s had to deal with adversity.

It’s nothing he didn’t expect.

“Of course, I saw this,” Levshunov said. “But it’s crazy, the league … yeah, obviously, it’s not easy. It’s the best players in this league. But when you get more experience every game, of course, you feel a little bit better. You feel comfortable. You feel way better. You get used to it, the league.”

Levshunov never focuses on the negatives. He can’t stop and feel sorry for himself. Instead, he learns from what happened, moves on and improves. He concentrates on getting better, which is what this summer has been about. He’s continued his work with Blackhawks director of skill development Brian Keane, and they’ve focused on improving his shot and making him mobile by tinkering with his skating technique. Levshunov said he’s done a lot of stretching to increase hip movement.

“I’m getting more flexible,” Levshunov said. “I’m getting more mobility. You can move better on the ice. I’m not wasting energy, power. It’s small, small details.”

Levshunov couldn’t have fully imagined any of this — sitting in a restaurant in Chicago, being an NHL player, being able to drive, being able to have a conversation in English, living on his own — when he left his home in Belarus in 2022. His dream was to play in the NHL, and if getting there meant leaving his home and his family, he was willing to sacrifice.

Even harder to comprehend at 16 was the winding path he would take. He lived and played in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for a season in the USHL, then at Michigan State in East Lansing for a season. He was 18 when he signed an NHL contract and attended his first NHL training camp. He was in Rockford, and Chicago for parts of his first pro season. His environment and life were constantly changing while he was still getting accustomed to the United States, being away from home, learning English and so much more. Throughout that time, his agent Dan Milstein and Milstein’s staff supported him in various ways, and there were plenty of other people from coaches to teammates to people in the community who were more than happy to assist Levshunov.

Still, it’s not easy when you’re the person living that life.

“It was difficult,” Levshunov said. “Because wherever I went, it was only myself. I went on my own, I didn’t have friends, no one. The only people I met were in the team or maybe in the city. Wherever I went, I was on my own. I didn’t have family. At that moment, it’s always hard. When you go alone, you don’t know where to go and you kind of have to figure it out. It’s still a little bit, too. You try to create a little community around you, people who can support you, help you, just to give some advice.”

Levshunov hasn’t been back to Belarus since he left more than four years ago. There’s a fear that if he returns, he could be forced to join the country’s military, which is compulsory for male citizens between 18 and 27. He’s hopeful to return someday. He thinks he could get a pass on the military service requirement because he’s playing in the NHL.

Since leaving, though, he has seen his mother and brother a handful of times outside of Belarus. He recently spent time with them in Turkey.

“I obviously miss them, of course; my friends, family are (in Belarus),” Levshunov said. “But when they come … I saw them last year during the season, I saw them before the season. When your family is around, yeah, of course, it always feels better.”

As each year has passed, Levshunov has grown more comfortable with his new life. After finishing the 2024-25 season in Chicago, playing last season there and now entering a third season where he’s expected to be in the NHL, this will be the longest he’s been with one team in North America.

When Milstein persuaded Levshunov and his mother, Inna, that Levshunov could be an NHL player and his best path was in North America, Milstein hoped Levshunov would meet those expectations. During Levshunov’s first trip to the U.S., Milstein even introduced him as a future star to Mikhail Sergachev, who was then playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning. There are no guarantees, though.

“When you sign the kids, you just never know, but we felt that he was a special person, a special hockey player,” Milstein said. “And then obviously, I think the scenario worked out perfectly for Arty and for his family, for his development and for where he is in life right now. … From the first time I met him and his mom to today, I mean, I can’t even describe it. It’s a Cinderella story. Just from meeting him for the first time, laying out the vision and we knew he had potential to be the top pick. Nobody believed because no one had seen the kid.”

There are only a few people who actually understand that journey. Even from Levshunov’s perspective, he’s amazed at what has happened.

“Actually, if you’re looking at it from my eyes, yeah, it’s like crazy,” Levshunov said.

Jeff Blashill knew very little about Levshunov when Blashill accepted the job to become the Blackhawks head coach last summer. Blashill called Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale, whom Levshunov played for, to get some background.

Some of what Blashill learned from Nightingale rang true as Blashill began to coach Levshunov in their first season together. But there was also a lot Blashill had to experience for himself and figure out. For example, Blashill knows he has to be straightforward with Levshunov.

“He wants to be great,” Blashill said in June. “He will do everything that you tell him to do. You have to make sure to give him the proper direction. He’s fairly literal. I have a son who’s very literal, and when I tell my youngest to do something, he does exactly that. So, you have to be super cognizant of exactly what you’re saying.”

Blashill also became much more aware of Levshunov’s life and development paths. Those things have a way of affecting players, too.

“In the last number of years, he had gone from Green Bay to Michigan State to Chicago/Rockford,” Blashill said. “Last year was the first year in a number of years that he spent on the same team, from the second half of last year to this year. And so I think the more he’s around here, the more he is going to get comfortable, the more he gets comfortable, the more confidence in success that he’ll have.”

Levshunov has enjoyed being coached by Blashill. He responds well to the directness. Levshunov also appreciates how Blashill consistently talks to him.

“I’m always in touch with him,” Levshunov said. “Even now, during the summer, we’re in touch in text. Asking, ‘how the summer going? How is training? How’s life?’ Yeah, I think he knows how to work with young guys. I think that he understands the people. I can’t say anything better.”

For Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, Levshunov’s desire to spend time in Chicago this summer spoke volumes.

“We’re really excited that he’s all-in, super committed,” Davidson said in June. “Never question his work ethic. It’s really exciting to see him take that ownership and make the call. … I think he’s going to take a big step this summer and come in ready to go. There’s always peaks and valleys for these young players, whether it’s Arty or anyone else, and it’s about minimizing the valleys and continuing to enhance the peaks. He’s got a coaching staff that really believes in him and sees the upside in him, and it’s just about us continuing to unlock that.”

Back at Gibsons, Levshunov plans on taking a nap when he gets home. The lunch interrupted his usual post-workout schedule, but he was happy to meet, especially at one of his favorite restaurants.

A waiter comes to the table and sees Levshunov has a few bites of his steak left.

“You’re going to finish that, right, sir?” the waiter says to Levshunov.

Levshunov finishes his food, his literal nature coming into play.

After the waiter walks away, I mentioned to Levshunov that if the Blackhawks ever start winning at a high level again, he might be treated to free meals at these sorts of restaurants all over Chicago.

“I wanna win,” Levshunov says with a laugh. “I wanna win.”

Later, after the strawberry shortcake is cleared and the check is paid, Levshunov prepares to leave. Before he does, he has one last thing to say.

“So next time, where we go?” Levshunov says, and laughs.