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After missing all of training camp and the preseason, it’s finally time for the Arty Party! On Tuesday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks activated defenseman Artyom Levshunov off injured reserve non-roster designation and assigned him to the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL.
The Blackhawks selected Levshunov second-overall in the 2024 NHL Draft back in June after a successful freshman season at Michigan State University where he skated in 38 games and tallied nine goals and 35 points, earning Big Ten Conference Defenseman of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors.
Tuesday’s activation comes just hours after Levshunov participated in the Blackhawks’ morning skate ahead of their game against the Vancouver Canucks, the first practice or morning skate that Levshunov had been able to participate in since being out of action with a right foot injury. Following the morning skate, Levshunov told Chicago reporters that he had a fracture in his foot that he didn’t know he had for about a month before the diagnosis.
Now healthy and activated, the soon-to-be 19-year-old Belarusian heads to the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs to assume a top-four role on the right side of the defensive group that currently includes Ethan Del Mastro, Kevin Korchinski, and Louis Crevier. The IceHogs are next in action on Saturday, October 26 on the road against the Manitoba Moose.