Blackhawks defensemen wanting ‘to develop up quick and win video games’

CHICAGO — Artyom Levshunov is working by means of rookie camp practices this week and is already wanting ahead to being a part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ younger protection group this season.

“I think it’s always fun to be with the young guys together,” the 19-year-old mentioned on Wednesday. “It’s going to be a lot of fun for me, for us as a group. I’m looking forward to it.”

Fun, for certain, but it surely’s additionally going to be a take a look at. The Blackhawks are counting on quite a lot of youthful gamers to propel them ahead this season and Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, 21, shall be a part of that on the again finish. The two will take part within the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, which may even function Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues prospects, at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s exciting,” Rinzel mentioned Wednesday. “Any time you can build with younger guys, it’s pretty cool. We want to be able to grow up fast and win games.”

Levshnov and Rinzel may have loads of firm in that regard; others projected to be a part of Chicago’s prime six defensemen to start out the season embody Ethan Del Mastro, 22, present unsigned restricted free agent Wyatt Kaiser, 23, Alex Vlasic, 24, and Connor Murphy, 32.

Murphy has essentially the most NHL video games with 745. After that, the expertise drops off considerably; Vlasic has performed in 179 NHL video games, Kaiser 98 and Del Mastro 26.

Levshunov and Rinzel every made his League debut final season; Levshunov had six assists in 18 video games and Rinzel had 5 assists in 9.

All the younger defensemen, besides probably Kaiser, shall be at coaching camp subsequent week. Rinzel missed camp final 12 months as a result of he was enjoying his sophomore season on the University of Minnesota. Levshunov fractured his proper foot final offseason. He started skating on his personal Sept. 26 however couldn’t take part within the Tom Kurvers Rookie Showcase or coaching camp.

“He tried on a broken foot (last year), but that’s not ideal,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. “So he’s had a full, healthy offseason. He’s going to have a full, good training camp and I think for those guys, that experience … and we see where they’re at in training camp and adjust any planning from there.”

Rinzel had a wholesome 2024-25 with Minnesota, when he had 32 factors (10 targets, 22 assists) in 40 video games. Blackhawks ahead Oliver Moore, Rinzel’s teammate at Minnesota the previous two seasons, mentioned Rinzel may have no downside adjusting to an even bigger workload.

“Every single practice, he gets better and better, ever since I’ve been skating with him over the last three or four years now,” Moore said Thursday. “He’s going to fit right in wherever he is. You guys have seen at the end of the year, his game is transitioning so well to the kind of hockey he’s going to be playing for a long time. He’s going to fit in wherever he is and he’s going to adjust.”

Other defensemen who may make the roster embody Kevin Korchinski, 21, who has performed in 92 profession NHL video games and Nolan Allan, 22, who has performed in 43. Davidson mentioned Chicago will you should definitely give members of the group breathers if vital.

“Either with the younger gamers coming in which have performed a little bit bit of professional or the blokes who had been within the execs final 12 months,” Davidson said, “and the variety of gamers we do have, I do imagine that we’ll have the ability to create a system the place perhaps we don’t have to, however we’ll have the ability to have some alternative to play quite a few completely different gamers and sort of perhaps spell some guys in the event that they want a little bit little bit of a break due to the lengthy season.

“But actually, I really feel we’ve obtained the younger guys that may have the ability to deal with it. Some of them have spent a few years in professional hockey they usually’ll be prepared. They’re on the age the place they need to have the ability to deal with that and among the youthful guys, if there are indicators of a little bit little bit of the season attending to them and being a grind, you then modify some workloads a bit. I don’t essentially suppose that’ll be one thing now we have to look into as a lot.

“I believe they’re younger, however I do imagine they’re on the level the place they’re able to step up and play these 82.”

Jared Nightengale, coach of Rockford, the Blackhawks’ American Hockey League affiliate, mentioned younger defensemen want to recollect one factor as they head into larger NHL roles.

“I at all times inform our (defensemen), don’t attempt to look horny each shift,” he said. “It’s good to not get seen. Make the play that’s forward of you. Trust that after they get put in positions the place their expertise must be proven, it’s not one thing you might want to exit and try to show and present each shift. That’s normally when ‘D’ struggles. It’s letting the sport come to them.

“Duncan Keith, early in his career, he struggled in the minor leagues. He was a really offensive defenseman in college (Michigan State) and then he bought in, and it clicked. He was a defend-first defenseman and then his ability took over. You know how special a player he was.”

Indeed, Keith performed 1,256 NHL video games with the Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers, twice gained the Norris Trophy, voted because the NHL’s prime defenseman (2010, 2014), gained the Stanley Cup thrice with Chicago (2010, 2013 and 2015) and the Conn Smythe Trophy, voted as most useful participant of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2015). Named one of many NHL’s 100 best gamers in 2017, he shall be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.

The Blackhawks defensemen shall be studying as they go this season. Yes, there shall be rising pains, however Chicago will settle for that. For the gamers, the thrill outweighs every part.

“I feel way more comfortable for sure than in my first year,” Levshunov mentioned. “I’m excited to be here and yeah, start training and playing.”