While the 2023 NHL Draft is at the immediate forefront, Artyom Levshunov is a defenseman already generating significant buzz as a potential high pick for the 2024 Draft. 

At 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, the Belarusian blueliner has the size and speed that scouts love in an NHL prospect. He's a highly-gifted, highly-skilled player with the puck on his stick and sees the ice well. 

Playing for the Belarus national under-18 team last season, Levshunov accumulated 25 goals and 38 assists in 46 regular season games. His 63 points were the most on the team and among all defensemen in the league. That naturally drew a lot of attention in North America.

Levshunov had aspirations of making the jump to the U.S. or Canada after playing last season in his home country. The path he was most familiar with was through the Canadian Hockey League, following in the footsteps of recently drafted Russian/Belarusian defensemen like Daniil Chayka and Pavel Mintyukov, among others. However, the CHL moved to ban Russian/Belarusian players from being selected in the 2022 import draft, which created an indefinite roadblock for Levshunov and left him uncertain of where he would play in 2022-23.

Enter the Green Bay Gamblers.

Familiarity between Levshunov’s agency and Gamblers’ head coach Mike Leone led to Green Bay selecting the young defenseman with the 111th overall pick in the 2022 USHL Phase II Draft.

Levshunov came over for the team’s development camp in June, and it became clear that the Gamblers wanted him to be on their roster in the fall. The logistics of getting him over here for the 2022-23 season still presented a significant challenge.

However, everything fell into place in the months leading up to the start of the season, and he was with Green Bay for the start of training camp.

“The USHL is a strong league with strong teams and good hockey,” said Levshunov. “We discussed with my agent and decided that it would be better for me to play (in Green Bay) this season.”

Levshunov came into camp as a 16-year-old barely able to speak any English. He was accompanied by only his mother for the start of camp, but she had to return home to Belarus before the season began and hasn’t been able to see her son play in the USHL yet.

The Gamblers have aided the now 17-year-old’s transition to North America, assisting him with picking up the English language. Levshunov also lives with teammate Mykailo Danylov, a native Ukrainian who speaks Russian, which has made the transition easier.

“What a culture shock it must have been for him,” Green Bay assistant coach Pat McCadden said. “He's adapted really well. He's always got a smile on his face. He just loves being at the rink, and his English has gotten way better over the short time. 

“He's been here, and he talks to the guys all the time now. And they like talking to him and seeing him, so he's adjusted really well. I can only imagine being in his shoes, but he's done a great job with it.”

In addition to learning a new language, the Gamblers coaching staff has also been helping Levshunov learn to drive. He jumps at the opportunity when someone wants to get in the car and drive with him.

Now, he’s put himself in the driver’s seat to shoot up NHL clubs’ draft boards in 2024. 

COMEBACK KIDS! @GamblersHockey erased a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 victory in overtime thanks to this rush by top 2024 #NHLDraft eligible defenseman Artyom Levshunov and the emphatic finish from Mikey DeAngelo. pic.twitter.com/6rxV2TFiw2

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) February 12, 2023

Levshunov has 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) in 58 games, the fifth-most among defensemen in the league. Additionally, Levshunov's 39 points ranks third all-time among defensemen in their "draft-minus-1" season in the USHL. Levshunov is one point shy of matching Owen Power's draft-minus-1 season total of 40 points. Power, of course, went on to become a No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft the following year.

The biggest adjustment for the Belarusian blueliner on the ice has been the pace of play in the USHL compared to the puck possession style he was used to in the Russian-inspired leagues he played in before. Green Bay has been mindful in teaching him to play a more north-south game while allowing him to retain some of his home country’s style of play as it suits his ability so well.

“I think that's part of why he's such an elite player is because he has the ability to see plays before most other players and see how the play is going to develop,” McCadden said of Levshunov’s skillset. 

“[He can] possess the puck in situations where you might tell another defenseman, ‘Hey, we need to move it there,’ and with him, it's more, ‘Okay, just do your thing,’ because more times than not, he'll just make an elite play that you just don't see regularly.”

Levshunov’s impact on the ice has been noticeable since Day 1. In the USHL Fall Classic, the defenseman scored the team’s first goal of the season, a power-play snipe from the slot, showcasing his vision and quick release all in one motion.

For the 2nd time this season, Artyom Levshunov has been named the @USHL defenseman of the week! This past weekend, Levshunov recorded 1 goal and 3 assists. Congrats Arty! 🎉 #GoGamblers #OurStarsRise pic.twitter.com/04gklwi76m

— Green Bay Gamblers (@GamblersHockey) March 20, 2023

He’s been a significant factor on the power play, sitting third in both goals (6) and assists (10) among Green Bay skaters.

Players that come from playing on bigger sheets of ice overseas often struggle with less time and space on the smaller rinks in North America. However, that hasn’t been the case for Levshunov, whose natural abilities have played right into the style of play in the USHL.

“His skating ability, vision, and ability to just really make plays and take over a game if he wants to are honestly unlike anything I've ever seen,” said McCadden. “As a coach, it's special.”

Levshunov’s offensive abilities from the blue line have never been in question. He’s made the transition to North America look, on the surface, seamless and positioned himself well to have a strong draft year.

But this particular year, he’s made the most improvements on the defensive side of the puck. The Gamblers’ staff has been diligent with him, working through video on positioning and playing away from the puck.

“Our coaches give us great attention with video review, communication, and personal training. It’s helped me to adapt so much in America,” Levshunov said.

Green Bay recently clinched a spot in the Clark Cup Playoffs. That will be at the forefront for the rest of the season. However, Levshunov’s plans for next year will have to be sorted out in the offseason.

Regardless if he returns to the Gamblers for a second season, the young defenseman has an extremely bright future ahead of him.

“He'll get paid to play hockey for a long, long time,” said McCadden.