RD Artyom Levshunov (2024, 2nd, CHI)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think a lot of Hawks fans have to consider the type of team they are trying to build and not evaluate Demidov vs. Levshunov player vs. player.

Demidov will probably be one of the best scoring wingers in the NHL. But if you get a 1D out of Levshunov, which probably still won’t be a player who gets the same attention as a star scoring winger, that might help you build a better team. It’s very hard to find defensemen of that caliber, especially right handed and those that have every skill and can play in every situation. With Levshunov, you now finally see the makings of a 1-6D for the future within the organization (Levshunov, Korchinski, Vlasic, Rinzel, Allan, Del Mastro). Having that settled will go a long way.

They have the superstar center. They have a lot of smaller and skill type of prospects. Demidov isn’t small, but he’s more of the same with the type of player. You can always trade for another first or second line forward, if need be. And they’ll have this draft also to find that player. I think for them taking Levshunov was probably the right decision.

 

[CallMeShaft]

I think a lot of Hawks fans have to consider the type of team they are trying to build and not evaluate Demidov vs. Levshunov player vs. player.

Demidov will probably be one of the best scoring wingers in the NHL. But if you get a 1D out of Levshunov, which probably still won’t be a player who gets the same attention as a star scoring winger, that might help you build a better team. It’s very hard to find defensemen of that caliber, especially right handed and those that have every skill and can play in every situation. With Levshunov, you now finally see the makings of a 1-6D for the future within the organization (Levshunov, Korchinski, Vlasic, Rinzel, Allan, Del Mastro). Having that settled will go a long way.

They have the superstar center. They have a lot of smaller and skill type of prospects. Demidov isn’t small, but he’s more of the same with the type of player. You can always trade for another first or second line forward, if need be. And they’ll have this draft also to find that player. I think for them taking Levshunov was probably the right decision.

As a Hawks fan, I'm not going to say it was the right decision, but it is comforting to know we've sort of got our D core for the future settled and out of the way (like you said).

We still need another top line caliber guy in the worst of ways, but thankfully this year's Hawks team (which has improved immensely in team D, but is still almost solely reliant on 98 for offense) will help them get that type of player in next year's draft. Can't say enough about what adding a kid like Misa or Martone would do to cement the team's future.