LAS VEGAS (AP) — Artyom Levshunov hoped to play juniors in the Canadian Hockey League, knowing it could lead to his dreams of becoming a professional hockey player.
However, because of CHL rules restricting Belarussians and Russians from competing because of the war in Ukraine, he had no other choice but to go the USHL and U.S. college route, if he wanted to develop his game in North America.
All leagues aside, Levshunov’s Plan B proved a success. The 18-year-old Michigan State defenseman enters the NHL draft on Friday projected to be a top-five pick, with the chance to be taken as early as second overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I think we’ll see,” Levshunov said when asked where he might be selected. “I mean, I think, for me, actually, just to be drafted in the NHL would be really like pretty cool for me. Yeah. Any team will be good for me.”
At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, the smooth-skating, playmaking defenseman has the chance of becoming the fourth player from Belarus chosen in the first round, and first since Montreal selected forward Andrei Kostitsyn 10th in 2003. No player from Belarus has been selected higher than defenseman Ruslan Salei, who went ninth to Anaheim in 1996.
Levshunov is ranked second among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting bureau, and made his mark in his North American debut with USHL Green Bay in 2022-23 by finishing eighth among league rookies with 42 points (13 goals, 29 assists) in 62 games.
At Michigan State, he’s coming off a freshman season in which he scored nine goals, and finished second on the Spartans with 26 assists and 35 points. He finished tied for ninth among NCAA defensemen in points while also being selected as the Big Ten Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
He helped the Spartans win Big Ten regular-season and postseason titles.
“I came here to the U.S. because, yeah, it’s just my dream to be in NHL,” Levshunov said. “I spent one season there (in the USHL) and went to college and I think, yeah, it worked for me.”
The dual threat of swift skating and high-end puck skills combine nicely with his size and strength, all of which have many believing he is ready to make an immediate jump into the NHL.
He wasn’t ready to commit to the NHL this season, or being definitive about returning to college, as he said, “I think first I should be drafted. Then we’ll see.” He also acknowledged it may take time to prepare for the NHL and he won’t know until he speaks to his camp.
“Of course, I would like to be there as soon as possible, as soon as I’m ready,” said Levshunov, who was selected to the USHL All-Rookie team in 2022-23. “Because, yeah, it’s dream. It’s a dream to be there, to play there.”
Levshunov, who has proven he brings efficiency in the defensive zone with an excellent grasp of positioning and coverage, attributes his aggressiveness as someone who won’t hesitate to jump into plays or challenge forwards with a steady backward stride to defend against rushes to his dedication in the gym.
Whether it’s conditioning, stretching, mobility, weightlifting, or speed workouts, Levshunov is a self-proclaimed gym rat.
“I like to work out,” he said. “I like to be in the gym, because hockey is a tough sport and I gotta stay strong on the ice. I love to be in the gym.”
And the first player he would like to “stuff one-on-one” by putting his toughness to the test during his debut season?
“I think you know the answer,” he said. “Yeah, I think is the best forward in the league, at this point right now, is Connor McDavid. There’s a lot of good players in the NHL.”
And Levshunov’s journey to becoming one of them continues Friday night at the Sphere, which will host its first sports-related event since its opening.
“It feels more real now, it feels more like a dream,” he said. “I saw the videos how (the Sphere is) gonna look like inside and outside. My face will be around Las Vegas.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
FILE - Western Michigan forward Wyatt Schingoethe (18) is pressured by Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov (5) during the second period of an NCAA college hockey game in Maryland Heights, Mo., March 29, 2024. Levshunov is expected to be selected No. 2 by the Chicago Blackhawks in the upcoming NHL draft. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley, File)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Pillar's single with one out in the 10th inning drove in Taylor Ward and the Los Angeles Angels extended their winning streak to six, rallying for a 6-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.
“Belief. You can feel the energy changing where maybe earlier we talked about going out and winning and hoping we win. I think we’re starting to expect that every time we go on the field,” said Pillar, who had the fourth walk-off hit of his career and first since 2018.
With Ward as the automatic runner in the 10th, Luis Guillorme had a sacrifice bunt to move Ward to third. Detroit decided to have five infielders with Pillar up and the outfielders playing in left center and right center. Pillar, who came in as the designated hitter in the seventh inning, hit a looping single into left off Jason Foley (2-2) for the Angels second walk-off victory of the season.
“The 10th inning set up perfectly for us. We had a guy who could bunt and a guy in the hole that has been in those situations before,” manager Ron Washington said.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said with the five man infield they tried to play to Pillar's pull side, but he was able to get underneath the sinker.
“We played a good game. We didn't play one or two runs enough to win it. It's tough to start the road trip this way,” Hinch said.
The Angels trailed 5-2 before coming back. Ward had a two-run double in the seventh inning and Logan O’Hoppe tied it with a solo shot to center to lead off the eighth. It was the second straight night the Angels’ catcher homered in the eighth inning.
“We had some opportunities when we didn’t put the ball in play, but we kept grinding in every inning. Then Taylor came up with the big move to get us back in the game,” Washington said.
Jake Rogers had a two-run homer in the sixth inning and Reese Olson had a season-high nine strikeouts for Detroit, which has dropped five of six.
Rogers also had a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning as he had his second three-RBI game of the season.
The Angels had a pair of defensive gems in the final two innings. O'Hoppe also made an off balance throw and Guillorme made a leaping grab and tag at second base to get Riley Greene out on a stolen base attempt in the ninth inning. Zach Neto also made a nice play on a sharp grounder by Colt Keith to end the 10th.
Ben Joyce (1-0) retired the Tigers in order in the 10th for the win.
Detroit got its first three runners aboard in the first but could only manage one run when Wenceel Pérez scored on Keith's fielder's choice.
The Angels took the lead with a pair in the third. Nolan Schanuel came home after Olson threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded and Willie Calhoun's grounder drove in Luis Rengifo.
Detroit responded with two in the fourth. Keith scored on Zach McKinstry's fielder's choice and Rogers' sacrifice fly brought home McKinstry.
Rogers extended the Tigers' lead to 5-2 in the sixth with a two-run shot to left-center. At 443 feet, it was the longest homer of his career.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: SS Javier Báez (lumbar spine inflammation) is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Monday at Triple-A Toledo.
Angels: CF Mike Trout (left knee) is hopeful for a return by late July ... 3B Anthony Rendon (left hamstring strain) is expected to face live pitching next week.
UP NEXT
Angels lefty Tyler Anderson (7-7), who is eighth in the majors with a 2.63 ERA, takes on Detroit RHP Casey Mize (1-6, 4.54 ERA), who is 0-6 in his last 11 starts.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Angels' Kevin Pillar heads to first on a single that drove in the winning run against the Detroit Tigers during the 10th inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels second baseman Luis Guillorme (15) holds up the ball after tagging out Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene on a steal attempt during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Carlos Estevez tries to pick off Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Perez at first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe (14) is congratulated by Luis Rengifo after O'Hoppe hit a home run against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto takes the field before the Angels' baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels' Kevin Pillar watches his single that drove in the winning run against the Detroit Tigers during the 10th inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Kevin Pillar (12) is congratulated by teammates after he hit a single to drive in the winning run against the Detroit Tigers during the 10th inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels' Luis Rengifo (2) returns to the dugout after scoring a run on a groundout by designated hitter Willie Calhoun (5) against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Detroit Tigers' Jake Rogers (34) high-fives a teammate in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Detroit Tigers' Zach McKinstry (39) is congratulated in the dugout after scoring against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Perez watches his single against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Perez (46) advances to second base as Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto catches the throw during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Reese Olson throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning (47) throws to a Detroit Tigers batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
