Blackhawks’ Best Option With No. 2 Pick Isn’t Obvious

However, I don’t think the draft pick is as black and white. In fact, I think there is a serious debate between a want and a need with both of the 18-year-old players, which could be key to this pick.

Artyom Levshunov Could Lead The Defense

Levshunov is someone who has been talked about all season as a possible pick behind Macklin Celebrini. He’s a big defenseman that every team craves. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, someone who can skate, is physical, and can score at a high level is a hard combination to find in defensemen. He had 35 points in 38 games with Michigan State this season, and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He was described by his defense partner at Michigan State, Nash Nienhuis, “He’s a crazy talent. You can see his raw ability out there. He’s an unbelievable skater… He’s got a ton of offensive capability but defensively he’s also got a great stick and high hockey IQ. He’s got all the tools, and he’s a great kid.” (from ‘Meet Artyom Levshunov, the 2024 NHL Draft’s ‘incredible’ defense prospect from Belarus – The Athletic – 12/06/2023).

He is everything the Blackhawks have been targeting with big defensemen, hence why they recently drafted Kevin Korchinski and Sam Rinzel. Something else stood out to me: the need for right-handed defensemen on the Hawks. The question of drafting right-handed defensemen was asked to the Blackhawks director of amateur scouting, Mike Doneghey, last year, and he mentioned that they would love to have left-right defensemen all the way through but wasn’t sure how realistic that was. (from ‘Blackhawks’ Mike Doneghey on options after Connor Bedard, prospect pipeline, and more – The Athletic – 05/28/2023).

With Levshunov, that would make it more realistic. Also, elite defensemen don’t just fall into teams’ laps. One of the Blackhawks’ biggest boo-boos was when they got the third-overall pick in 2019 and decided to pass on Bowen Byram, who was considered the best defenseman in the draft and the best player available at that spot, and they chose Kirby Dach. Byram went on to win the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Dach and the Hawks ended up not being a fit (which was a development mess in itself and a story for another day), but the point is, it’s hard to pass up on defense, especially with a skill set that is sought after.

Ivan Demidov Could Solve The Bedard Equation

I spoke with one of my colleagues, Peter Baracchini, one of The Hockey Writers‘ prospect experts, and I asked him about Demidov. He said, “Demidov is extremely dynamic and plays at a quick pace that can definitely work with Bedard.” While playing with SKA St. Petersburg, he recorded 60 points in 30 games (23 goals, 37 assists) and also had 28 points in 17 games during their playoff run. When watching some of his highlights, I see what Baracchini is saying. He has a goal scorer’s eye. He can pick a corner from afar and score, a knack that few players have. Wyatt Johnston on the Dallas Stars has it. Connor Bedard clearly has it. Demidov is very strong on the puck, and good luck stopping him when he drives to the net. Just like Levshunov has all the tools you want in a defenseman, Demidov has everything you want in a scorer.

When Baracchini talked about quick pace, it brought me back to Philipp Kurashev, one of Bedard’s most effective linemates this season. Jason Dickinson noted, “Kurshy sees the game at a high level. He’s able to match Bedsy’s hockey IQ at times.” (from ‘Connor Bedard has unlocked Philipp Kurashev. Has He found his long-term wingman? – The Athletic – 02/19/2023).

The Blackhawks need more players who can see the game at Bedard’s pace because it makes a difference, and that is where Demidov could come in. Point blank: you need scorers to go far in the NHL. During the dynasty years, the Hawks filled their team out with a lot of them alongside Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and they don’t grow on trees in the NHL, either.

The Hockey Writers’ director of prospect coverage, Logan Horn, said, “I’ve got them [Chicago] taking the player who I believe has the single highest offensive ceiling in the draft class, Ivan Demidov. Demidov’s game has some quirks, and he’s a little small by NHL standards, but nobody in this draft can handle the puck like him. He’s electric.” For reference, he is 5-foot-11 and 168 pounds.

This answers the year-long question, “Who can play with Bedard in the future?” Demidov can.

Who Do The Blackhawks Need and Want?

With all the background information out of the way, the question now circles back to, “Who do the Blackhawks need?” This is where it gets complicated. The Blackhawks were some of the NHL’s worst in offense and defense, so there is a dire need for both. They have Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore in the system but need another elite scoring punch. They have exciting defensemen like Korchinski, Alex Vlasic, and Ethan Del Mastro, but there isn’t that game-breaker yet.

This pick might come down to perspective. Is it more important to add a like-minded scorer with Bedard, or is it more important to build a defense? This is new territory for the Blackhawks. When they were in the draft lottery last year, it was noted that all the top-five picks would be centers (Bedard, Leo Carlsson, Adam Fantilli, Will Smith, and Matvei Michkov), so they didn’t have to go out of their way to look at another position in that draft order. Now, they do, which makes this more interesting, and they can narrow it down through the wants and needs model.

With Levshunov, the NHL needs right-handed defensemen, as shown at the trade deadline, and for the Blackhawks as well. Only two on the main roster are under contract for next season, and there are only five in the pipeline. But they may want to stick to their defense prospects and bank on their potential.

For Demidov, Chicago knew they needed Celebrini to round out their core, and if they had won the lottery again, that would have been the case. So, taking the forward deemed second-best to him seems like a no-brainer. But, they may want to look at other avenues to fill the scoring void. General manager Kyle Davidson mentioned before that they wouldn’t be shy about using draft picks to their advantage down the road in a possible trade package to get someone they want. They have nine picks this year alone. They could also use the free agency route, where they have over $30 million in salary cap space, or just use the draft picks to select another scorer.

Going by the “best player available” model, it seems like it’s Demidov, but the need is more for Levshunov. Defense wins championships, but the Blackhawks also won’t go anywhere until they start putting the puck in the net.

Overall, nothing about this pick is going to be easy, and it’s not as “sure” as it might seem. I think this decision for the Blackhawks will come down to the wire on draft day (June 28). Either way, they are getting a possible superstar at both positions, and they do have another first-round pick (20th overall) they can use to fill the void of whoever they decide to pick second. As Davidson mentioned, they’re going to add who they think “fits best” and will be a “foundational piece.” In a perfect world, Chicago would be able to select both, but being able to snag one of them seems pretty close to the perfect position for a team to be in.