Artyom Levshunov (Belarusian: Арцём Леўшуноў, born October 28, 2005) is a Belarusian college ice hockey defenceman for the Michigan State Spartans of the NCAA.[1][2] Levshunov will be eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and is projected as a top 10 prospect in the draft.[3]
| Artyom Levshunov | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
October 28, 2005 Zhlobin, Belarus | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NCAA team | Michigan State University | ||
| NHL draft | Eligible 2024 | ||
Playing career edit
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.[4]
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.[4][5] On March 20, 2023, Levshunov earned his second USHL Defenceman of the Week with 1 goal and 4 points in 2 games.[6] Levshunov finished the 2022–23 season with 13 goals, ranking third among USHL defensemen.[7] 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.[7][8]
Levshunov committed to play college ice hockey for Michigan State University in the summer of 2023.[9] 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.[10]
International play edit
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Belarus
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| IIHF World Junior Championship | ||
 |
2022 Denmark | Division I Group A |
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.[11]
Career statistics edit
Regular season and playoffs edit
| Regular season | 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 | 38 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International edit
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Belarus | WJC (Div IA) | 
|
5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
Awards and honours edit
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| USHL | ||
| All-USHL Third Team | 2023 | [7] |
| All-Rookie First Team | 2023 | [8] |
| College | ||
| All-Big Ten First Team | 2024 | [12] |
| 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 | [13] |
References edit
- ^ Kennedy, Ryan (September 22, 2023). "2024 NHL Draft Rankings: The First Watch List". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "MSU hockey adds potential top 10 NHL draft pick from Belarus to freshmen class". The Detroit News. July 26, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ Wheeler, Scott (August 14, 2023). "2024 NHL Draft ranking: Macklin Celebrini leads Scott Wheeler's preseason top 32". The Athletic. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Sikes, Ryan (October 8, 2023). "2024 NHL Draft Prospect Artyom Levshunov Adapting, Shining With Green Bay". flohockey.tv. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "USHL Players of the Week – Week 7". ushl.com. November 9, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "USHL Players of the Week – Week 7". ushl.com. March 20, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c "2022-23 All-USHL Teams Announced". ushl.com. May 1, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ a b "USHL All-Rookie Teams Announced". ushl.com. May 1, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ Bott, Nathaniel (July 24, 2023). "Potential top 10 NHL draft pick Artyom Levshunov among new additions for MSU hockey". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "#5 Artyom Levshunov". msuspartans.com. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ "Artyom Levshunov". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "Big Ten Conference Announces Hockey Postseason Awards". BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ "Top 25 men's college hockey players earn distinction as CCM/AHCA Hockey All-Americans for 2023-24 season". USCHO.com. April 12, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
External links edit
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database