Latest news with #Levshunov
New York Times
15-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Blackhawks pull off memorable comeback win in playoff-like atmosphere: 15 thoughts
MONTREAL — Monday had the makings of a forgettable day for the Chicago Blackhawks. They could have used Ivan Demidov, who they passed on in last year's draft, making his NHL debut against anyone else. But instead there were 21,000 Montreal Canadiens fans chanting his name and creating a playoff-like buzz every time he stepped foot on the ice. When he scored his first NHL goal in the first period, the building felt like it did when the Blackhawks won their last Stanley Cup. Advertisement It didn't help either that the Canadiens were battling for a playoff spot and had the opportunity to clinch a wild-card position with a victory. The Demidov factor plus the pending playoff berth equaled an environment most of the Blackhawks had never experienced before. Electric was the word most used to describe it. And that electricity drove the Canadiens and stunned the Blackhawks for most of the first period Monday. The Canadiens jumped out to a 2-0 lead and it felt like another goal could be the deciding blow. History certainly said it was probable. It was just a week ago the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the visiting Blackhawks 5-0 and brought the Blackhawks to a team meeting. But that wouldn't be the case again. The Blackhawks turned Monday's game on its head and made into one of their most memorable wins of the season, defeating the Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout and putting a damper on Demidov's debut and at least delaying the Canadiens' playoff berth. Let's dive into the hows and whys. 1. Demidov is the real deal. He was dynamic whenever he touched the puck. He had a goal and a primary assist and could have had a few more points on other chances. Of course, that is going to bring out all the people said the Blackhawks should have drafted Demidov with the No. 2 pick instead of Artyom Levshunov. There were plenty of those type of comments on social media Monday. None of this is surprising, though. Demidov was always going to be ahead of Levshunov based on his position and where he was developmentally. The Blackhawks drafted Levshunov because of where they projected him in future years and how they were building the team that would be around him. The Levshunov-Demidov debate is fair game, but leave it alone for a few years until the whole picture is known. How the Blackhawks are constructed, who they drafted with another top-four pick and how other forwards develop has to all be weighed along with the individual performances of Demidov and Levshunov. 2. All eyes were on Demidov, but Frank Nazar may have stolen the show. Nazar has been trending this way the last month, but it was another all-around performance that should give the Blackhawks a lot of hope in his future. He was by far the Blackhawks' best player. Nazar created scoring chances for himself. He did it for others. He factored into the power play, scoring off a one-timer. He was dangerous on the penalty kill. He helped the Blackhawks create an edge in possession at five-on-five. As Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno put it, Nazar drove the bus for the Blackhawks. Advertisement 'Like I said, not even that goal, Frank played a really, really mature, solid game tonight,' Foligno said. 'You see what he can do and how heimpacts the game. He was a part of every goal. It's really, really exciting to see what he's bringing and encouraging for years to come.' 3. Nazar was also part of an odd sequence during the shootout. Nazar took his attempt and thought he scored. No one else did. 'Frank was actually mad at all of us because we didn't respond to his goal,' Foligno said. 'He's like, I scored. I think I actually said, nice try. He's looked at me, he's like, I scored. I'm like, what? Everyone's like, what?' While that confusion was happening, the next Canadiens shooter was already going. It was then the ref stopped everyone. 'I'm glad the refs stepped up and went and looked at it,' Nazar said. 'Obviously couldn't find the puck, so it's good that they went and did that. No one knew it went in — everyone's kinda saying, 'Aw, nice try, blah blah blah,' chirping me for going through the line, thinking I didn't score. I'm glad it went in. Once everybody found out, they were super happy and super nice.' For the record, it did go in. 4. Monday's atmosphere will be one a lot of the young Blackhawks will never forget, and will seek to recreate for the rest of their careers. Nazar was blown away by the Canadiens fans' reaction to Demidov. 'It was pretty nuts,' Nazar said. 'The building was going nuts every time he got on the ice, and then when he touched the puck, it was another level. When he scored, it's a completely different level. It's pretty exciting to see. If that's what playoff hockey is going to sound like, I'm really excited for that in the future.' It wasn't just the young players, though. Advertisement 'That was awesome,' Foligno said. 'That's just what Montreal's all about. This is one of the best rinks in the world. It lives up to the hype every time that I play here. I absolutely love coming to this building. The way the fans create an atmosphere is a special place. I hope no one ever gets used to that because it's amazing how they can create such an atmosphere here for hockey. They're true fans. They love their fans and it's fun to be on the other side. I can't imagine what it feels like being on their team.' 5. The analytics supported the eye test with Nazar, too. NHL GameScore Impact Card for Chicago Blackhawks on 2025-04-14: — HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) April 15, 2025 6. The Blackhawks hadn't won many games like Monday's this season. They had won four times and lost 22 times when trailing after one period this season heading into the game. What the Canadiens did early wasn't a surprise, but how the Blackhawks responded was. 'You knew they were going to push,' Foligno said. 'That was exciting for us. That's probably the most momentous game that we've had, like a game that mattered. It was nice to be a part of it and not see our guys get overwhelmed by the moment. Obviously they have a push at the beginning, but we just stay with it and we have some big power-play goals and then get another one. 'It's really encouraging to see our group find a way to come through in a time where maybe our habits and attitude doesn't allow us to in games previous. I'm taking the positive out of that and really encouraged by our team.' 7. The Blackhawks' comeback began with a well-connected power play. Connor Bedard entered the zone and got it to Nazar, who found Tyler Bertuzzi. 8. Ryan Greene made his NHL debut for the Blackhawks and was solid. His hockey IQ stood out. He seemed to understand where to be. Like a lot of the young Blackhawks, Greene needs to put on muscle and weight. It was everything Greene dreamed of. 'It was super cool, especially in this rink,' Greene said. 'It was jumping in there. It was really exciting. I'm happy the boys brought me in, welcomed me in. It took a little bit for me to get settled in, but once I got settled in, I felt really good.' Advertisement The Blackhawks and Greene are thankful he's a Canadian citizen. If he wasn't, it would have been a red-tape challenge for him to play in Canada so quickly after signing with the team on Sunday. 9. Sam Rinzel continues to get so close to his first NHL goal. 11. The line of Landon Slaggert, Joe Veleno and Lukas Reichel had a rough first period as they were on the ice for both of the Canadiens' goals. They redeemed themselves by pulling the Blackhawks ahead 3-2 on this goal. 12. The Blackhawks didn't exactly agree with a penalty on Connor Murphy late in the third period that led to the Canadiens tying the game at 3-3 with a power-play goal. 'I think it was disrespectful to Murph,' Foligno said. 'It's just a battle that we got called for that one. It's just the way it goes. It just sucks because we played such a good game as a team and deserved to probably win in regulation or at least to have a chance to win in regulation. 'I'm proud of our guys. That to me showed growth in our group. To get them score one late and to come back and find a way to get a win in the shootout is an exciting time for this group. The composure that our young players have, the mix of young and old right now is really working for us and it's exciting.' 13. How the Blackhawks are finishing the season has to reflect somewhat well on interim coach Anders Sörensen. He probably has an outside shot to keep the job, but the team has been far from quitting on him. 'Honestly, I thought we played well,' Sörensen said. 'I thought five-on-five we did a lot of good things. Obviously it was a little bit of special teams, scored two goals on the power play and (Söderblom) was good when we needed him. Advertisement 'We felt like even after the first we were playing OK. It was electric in here. It was loud and you couldn't hear anything, but I thought for a young group they handled it really well. I think that goal (in the first period) was huge to come out after the first. We felt like, hey, we're doing a lot of good things here.' 14. Blackhawks goalie Arvid Söderblom deserves some attention for Monday's win, which included stopping three shots in a shootout, but more so about his season. Monday was likely his last game of the season. After starting with a 5-22-2 record with an .880 save percentage in 32 games, he probably would have gone to Rockford this season if it wasn't for Laurent Brossoit's injury. Söderblom bounced back with a 10-18-7 record with an .898 save percentage in 33 games and likely put himself in the goalie mix for next season. 15. Of everything Nazar did Monday, his most impressive feat may have been leaping Bertuzzi to avoid a collision.
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Blackhawks' Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel show promise in NHL debuts: 20 thoughts
There was definitely a buzz about the Chicago Blackhawks game Sunday that has often been lacking this season. First-round picks Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel brought anticipation and excitement to United Center as they made their NHL debuts. By all accounts, Moore and Rinzel didn't disappoint. 'Yeah, lots to like,' Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sörensen said. 'I thought Rinzel really (had an) attack mindset. I think he had three or four Grade-A chances offensively, did a lot of good things. Oliver, too. Under pressure, made a lot of plays. They were good. I liked their game.' Advertisement We'll see what the rest of the season brings, but there were a lot of positives they can build on. That and plenty more in this edition of Powers Thoughts: 1. Rinzel especially had people talking after his game. He had his share of impressive plays Sunday, but none matched the following shift in the second period. He had four puck touches, two completed passes, two scoring chances and one delightful spin move. 2. The Blackhawks did officially burn the first year of Artyom Levshunov's entry-level contract by playing him Sunday. He'll become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 season. It might not make a difference, but there is a chance that by getting Levshunov to his second contract earlier, the Blackhawks could save money on his deal. Considering how he's looked on the ice, it made sense to burn the year. 3. Levshunov has passed the eye test for the most part. He looks like he belongs at the NHL level. Analytically, the numbers have been mixed. In 10 games, he has a 45.07 Corsi percentage, a 39.76 percent expected goals rate, and the Blackhawks have been outscored 13-4 with him on the ice at five-on-five. Some of those goals against can be put on him, but there have also been instances when it hasn't been his fault. 4. After Saturday's practice, I talked to Alex Vlasic about Levshunov and a few other topics. His comments were worth sharing. On how he's trying to help the young players along: 'Just be talkative with them and make them feel comfortable. For me, that was the biggest thing I struggled with when I first came, was just you don't really know your place yet, you don't know where you fit in. You don't have those relationships. For me, I just try to be a resource for them to talk to, just really try to be a good teammate and friend. I think that goes a long way.' Advertisement On having so much size among the defensemen: 'We got some big players on the back end, but they can also skate. That's important in the NHL today. It used to be big, slower, physical defensemen transitioned to smaller, fast skating. Now it seems like we now have a little bit of both. We have guys who are big, but we can also skate pretty well. It's exciting. I think it's going to be a challenge for teams to face.' On playing with Levshunov: 'He's great with the puck on his stick. When he wants to go and gets going, I don't think anyone's stopping him with the puck. I try to encourage him to do that as much as he can. If he gets the puck in the defensive zone to use that size, to use that speed to get going, he's been great so far. He's been fun to play with.' 5. The Blackhawks do have plenty of size across their defense. Something Chris Watkins and I talked about on a recent 'Powers & Laz' podcast was how that size is only a differentiator if your big defensemen can excel at what smaller and more skilled players are supposed to be able to do and still bring the qualities that big defensemen are expected to contribute. If your 6-foot-6 defenseman can skate and handle the puck but can't win puck battles and defend the net … well, that size doesn't mean much. Sörensen was asked before Sunday's game about what size among the defensemen could mean for a team. 'I think with big defensemen, just the way they can defend and cover ice, if it's with their sticks or just their bodies in general, to get stops defensively,' he said. 'I think a lot of these guys have taken big strides in their development over the last year or two. But I think it helps a lot in the defensive part of the game, and even off the rush, right? Having good sticks and rangy players helps.' 6. Frank Nazar seems to get a breakaway almost every game lately. Though he's not finishing them at a high rate, it shouldn't worry anyone. Those types of chances aren't often that easy to create for 21-year-old rookies. For him to be first on the Blackhawks with 0.73 rush attempts per 60 minutes at five-on-five and second to Ryan Donato with 3.53 high-danger chances per 60 minutes is a positive sign. Advertisement Just over the last two games, Nazar recorded a total of nine scoring chances at five-on-five. That was his most in a two-game span this season. There will likely be a point where he finishes this type of opportunity. 7. Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisvert, a 2024 first-round pick, entered the NCAA transfer portal Monday. Boisvert played his freshman season at North Dakota, and the school fired its men's hockey coach, Brad Berry, after the season. It'll be interesting to see where Boisvert ends up. He could play one more season in college before turning pro. He's a candidate to be in the Blackhawks lineup at the end of next season. He exceeded the Blackhawks' expectations this past season and was named the NCHC rookie of the year with 18 goals and 14 assists in 37 games as a freshman. He finished the season with nine goals and two assists in his final nine games. 8. I would expect a portion of the Blackhawks' practice Tuesday to be spent on zone entries on the power play. It was a disaster Sunday. The Blackhawks could have put themselves in a much better position in that game if their power play was at all functional. 9. Alex Ovechkin is five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's record. Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals will host the Blackhawks in three games April 4. Odds are he won't tie or break the record against the Blackhawks, but his next two games will provide a clearer picture. 10. Blackhawks goalie prospect Drew Commesso had his best month as a pro. He stopped 274 of 291 shots for a .942 save percentage in 10 starts for the Rockford IceHogs in March. Though it certainly appears the Blackhawks have prioritized Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom, Commesso could have his say about it. With every position, the Blackhawks have to be open to any prospect surprising them and overtaking someone else. Advertisement 11. Ryan Donato has never had a four-game span in his 475-game NHL career like he just had for the Blackhawks. He had a few good stretches with the Seattle Kraken: one when he scored in four consecutive games, and another when he had four goals and one assist over four games. But his six goals and two assists from March 23 to 30 is on another level. 12. Colton Dach's recent injury came at the worst time for him. He was playing well for the Blackhawks so far and doing exactly what the organization was seeking from him as a power forward. His underlying numbers were strong, too. He had a 50.34 expected goals percentage in the 12 games before his injury. 13. The Blackhawks are expected to explore signing defenseman prospect Taige Harding, a 2021 third-round pick. Harding, who is 6 feet 7 and 235 pounds, just finished his senior season at Providence. 14. With three home games remaining, the Blackhawks have drawn 685,537 fans and averaged 18,528 fans over 37 home games this season. (The Wrigley Field game doesn't count toward their season average.) To compare, they averaged 18,836 last season and 17,167 in the 2022-23 season. The Blackhawks had two games, both Mondays in January, under 16,000 fans this season. Another two games brought in between 16,000 and 16,999 fans; both those games were against the Los Angeles Kings and were on a Monday and Thursday in March. The six worst-attended games were all Mondays through Thursdays. On the other side of the spectrum, the Blackhawks drew more than 20,000 twice, both Sunday games. They brought in a season-high 20,627 fans for the Dallas Stars on Dec. 29. 15. In a text exchange with prospect Aidan Thompson's agent Monday, the agent said Thompson hadn't made a decision on what he'll do after the season and they'll discuss it with the University of Denver once the season ends. The Pioneers are playing in the Frozen Four again. The 23-year-old Thompson, a 2022 third-round pick, had a breakout junior season at Denver. He was among the nation's leaders in goals (20) and points (54). Advertisement 16. Over the last 20 games, Ilya Mikheyev and Donato are tied for the most five-on-five points with 13 each. They're followed by Teuvo Teräväinen (10), Nick Foligno (7), Vlasic (6), Connor Bedard (6) and Tyler Bertuzzi (6). Mikheyev has a team-best seven goals at five-on-five in that span, and Donato has six. No one else has more than two. In all situations, Donato has 11 goals in that span and is followed by Mikheyev (8), Bedard (4) and Teräväinen (4). 17. Prospect Martin Misiak, a 2023 second-round pick, is one of those players who could go either way as a pro player. He has some intriguing attributes as a center, but his consistency has fallen short of what the Blackhawks were hoping he'd do in the OHL. To his credit, Misiak has been playing better as of late. In his final 12 regular-season games for the Erie Otters, he had seven goals and 12 assists. So far in the playoffs, he's kept it up. He's produced four goals, which included a hat trick, and one assist in his first two playoff games. 18. Since Knight's hot start after the Seth Jones trade, his game hasn't been as consistent. He has an .887 save percentage in his first nine games with the Blackhawks. In his last five games, he's made 111 saves on 131 shots for an .847 save percentage. 19. The Blackhawks will have no issue still burning the first year of Ryan Greene's season whenever his college season ends. He and Boston University advanced to the Frozen Four this past weekend. With the way the NCAA does its men's hockey tournament, the teams take next weekend off and then will play the semifinals April 10 and the championship April 12. The Blackhawks have games April 12, 14 and 15, so Greene could still get two to three games whenever he's done. 20. If anyone is interested in following Marcus Krüger's quest to get Djurgården promoted in Sweden after reading my recent story on him, Djurgården is in the semifinals after sweeping Mora in the quarterfinals. Djurgården is down 1-0 in the best-of-seven semifinal series. (Top photo of Clayton Keller and Sam Rinzel: Matt Marton / Imagn Images)
Chicago Tribune
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Untapped potential and confidence: What we've learned about Chicago Blackhawks rookie Artyom Levshunov
Naturally, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov has been learning what it takes to play in the NHL – and the traps that await every rookie – with each game. 'How hard it is, how fast,' said Levshunov, who is taking to the English language at almost the same speed he's taking to the pro game. But as much as he has on his plate, the Hawks are quickly finding out more about their top defensive prospect, who was the No. 2 overall pick in this summer's draft. Here are four things we've learned about Levshunov as he gets set to play in his eighth game Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils. 1. It's very early, but his offensive potential is still largely untapped. Levshunov profiles as a powerful shooter, but his average shot speed (68.2 mph) is a fraction under the league-average of 68.6 mph, according to NHL Edge stats. He has yet to score his first NHL goal, but his two assists and 1.29 shots per game already rank him third among Hawks defensemen. The rookie has established himself as a threat. 'You can see his instincts offensively, his puck plays,' Hawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen said. Levshunov is averaging 1 minute, 40 seconds on the power play, and has manned the point on the top unit in recent games. Sorensen has been impressed with Levshunov's quick grasp of some of the power play's nuances. 'For any player coming in on a new team, it's hard to get a feel for power play, having chemistry with players,' Sorensen said. 'I just like that he's decisive with shooting. I think he wants to get his shot through and use his shot. 'When you have a threat from the point as a shooter, it makes the whole penalty kill have to be aware of that and respect it. Once you respect that middle shot so much, it opens up flank plays for (Connor) Bedard and Teuvo (Teräväinen) and these guys to make their plays. 'So I think that's what's nice is he has a heavy shot, and it's natural for him to shoot it.' Forward Frank Nazar, Levshunov's teammate with the Rockford IceHogs, agrees. 'He's always a threat up top. He likes to shoot,' Nazar said. 'That's something that teams take into account. And then if a team is overplaying the shot, he's able to make the pass. That's something that is really good for him, and it's really good for his team.' Levshunov might have been timid to use his shot during his first power play, but he's not any more. He's eager, and now just has to figure out when to use it as part of his role in the unit. 'Over time, when they build chemistry, that's going to open up more plays,' defenseman Connor Murphy said. 2. Confident? Yes? Borderline overconfident? No. Even before Levshunov made his NHL debut in Colorado on March 10, he had consistently maintained he wasn't nervous after spending most of the season with the IceHogs. 'Why should I be nervous?' he said. 'I'm playing hockey. I don't need to be nervous.' He then admitted that those 'first games, I was nervous, for sure … but I try to be not nervous because it's a game. I've got to play hard, play for my team.' Levshunov may force himself to shake off those nerves on occasion, but then his instincts kick in and he's directing teammates. 'He's got the air traffic controller going and pointing (directions)' Sorensen said. 'It's good, he wants to be involved. He's taking charge, right? 'As a young player coming in in this environment, it could be easier to (shut) down. But he wants to be on the ice, he wants the puck, he wants to tell the other guys what to do, and it's all good.' 3. Levshunov has taken the biggest strides with his gaps. It was an area of focus in Rockford — and it's been his biggest strength so far with the Hawks. 'Early in the year, he just reads and gaps,' said Sorensen, who was Levshunov's coach with the IceHogs early on. 'I think that's gotten a lot better' in Chicago. Murphy said for young defensemen, 'it's hard to have confidence in gaps, gaps being like how tight you can play up on forwards when they're trying to break out. 'He made a lot of plays disrupting breakouts, whether it's rolling pucks coming up his side or the forward is trying to break out, and he's coming forward at them and keeping plays alive to get more offensive zone time. And that's not easy.' The tendency for a lot of defensemen – either rookie or veteran – is to play it safe, skate backward and keep the play in front, Murphy added. But Levshunov is sure enough in his skating ability that he stays up on puck carriers. 'To have confidence is going against skilled players to step up and disrupt plays, that's a really big part of defending,' Murphy said. 4. Levshunov has some defensive nuances to learn. He hasn't mastered the Hawks offense just yet, but defense can take longer to solidify, especially for offensive defensemen. Positioning is one key area, Murphy said. 'The game is really detailed, more so than college and junior,' he said. 'So just positioning on knowing with certainty, whether it's offensive, neutral or D-zone, little ways you can stand and stick positioning you can use when the puck is in certain areas, or (whether) it's your guy or not your guy. It allows yourself to limit the damage if things break down.' Sorensen said Levshunov is getting better about battling in front of the net, where big forwards can box you out or push you around. 'He's a young kid,' he said. 'He's learning to play in the league and understanding that every day is a new day, and it's a relentless schedule here, and you're playing teams that are fighting for playoff spots.' Levshunov had a teachable moment Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings when he followed up a turnover in the Hawks' end with a slashing penalty. 'Yeah, I lost the puck there,' he said. 'Just maybe I should play more simple there, maybe pass from the board, not through the middle. I needed to go and take the puck back, for sure. It was slashing, but it was a good lesson for me.'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Don't Forget The Top Two 2024 NHL Draft Picks Play In Sharks v. Blackhawks Matchup
The hockey world will be interested in Macklin Celebrini vs. Connor Bedard when the San Jose Sharks host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Celebrini vs. 2024 NHL Draft No. 2 overall pick Artyom Levshunov is an underrated storyline that isn't being talked about. Unlike Celebrini, Levshunov didn't start with his NHL team and only recently made his debut for the Blackhawks on March 10th against the Colorado Avalanche. Rookie solo lap for Chicago's No. 2 overall pick Artyom Levshunov ahead of his NHL debut in Colorado. #Blackhawks — Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 11, 2025 Celebrini and Levshunov both went the NCAA route for their draft seasons. Levshunov attended and played for Michigan State University. The d-man wasn't nominated in the 2024 top ten for the Hobey Baker award as the NCAA's best player. That season, the nominees included Celebrini, Will Smith, and Collin Graf. Celebrini won the award and became the youngest player to win it at 17. Read the full story on Sharks Hockey Digest Sharks Forward To Make Second Team Debut Against Blackhawks Sharks Trade Acquisition Still Stuck In Limbo For Work Visa Ty Dellandrea Is Finding His Role With The Sharks Stay updated with the most interesting Sharks stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story. Follow Max on Twitter: @Real_Max_Miller
Chicago Tribune
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Artyom Levshunov, the Chicago Blackhawks' first-round draft pick last year, set to make his NHL debut
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov seemed more than just relaxed about his NHL debut tonight in Colorado, he seemed borderline cocky. How many times has Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon left a blueliner shaking in their skates — right before he breaks their ankles? But not a smidgeon of nerves were detectable from Levshunov, the Blackhawks' No. 2 pick in last summer's draft. 'Why? It's hockey, it's (a) hockey game,' he said with a laugh. 'I've got to go and do my job, play hard, work hard and try to help the team. Play for (the) win.' That's not that he doesn't have reverence for one of the league's elites. 'Oh yeah, he's such a good player,' Levshunov said of MacKinnon. 'He's so fast. We should beat him tonight.' That's probably not conceit, likely the native Belarusian's attempt to say the Hawks should aspire to beat the Avs, the nuance lost in translation. Nor is Levshunov minimizing a career milestone. 'I was waiting for this (a) long time,' he said. 'I'm so happy, so excited. Yeah, can't wait to start playing.' He said he's dreamed of this moment 'all of my hockey life. For sure it's unbelievable to make a debut tonight.' Hawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen will pair Levshunov with the Hawks' most senior defenseman, Alec Martinez. But make no mistake, Levshunov is being thrown into the deep end of the pool against the Avalanche. 'Yeah, let's get after it, right?' Sorensen said. 'This is the NHL, right? You want to be in the NHL, you're going to play the best.' Levshunov, 19, was called up Sunday after racking up five goals and 17 assists in 50 games for the Rockford IceHogs. He had been called up in February to get some practice time with the NHL team but did not see game action. He said coaches want to see him play smart, fast and hard. Sorensen added, 'Just play his game, trust his instincts, and as we go along here … you don't want to give him too much information.' Levshunov has already boiled all that prep work down to its essence: 'Just play good hockey.' Meanwhile, the Hawks activated forward Jason Dickinson (left ankle) from injured reserve after missing 11 games. He's slated to join Connor Bedard and Colton Dach on the top line, while Frank Nazar centers Landon Slaggert and Nick Foligno. Dickinson has 'felt good for the last week here, (he) has been close and had some really good practices and some skates,' Sorensen said. 'He looked good today.'
