How Artyom Levshunov -- a potential Blackhawks draft target at No. 2 -- has navigated hype and family hardships

He remembered Levshunov had some standout performances.

“The play he made against Western Michigan, when we had the goalie pulled, and we were down in the NCAA Tournament, and then with about 30 seconds left, he grabbed the puck behind the net,” Nightingale said. “He’s an effortless skater and it looks like he’s not moving, but we all know on the bench that he’s moving and he beat three guys wide and passed it backdoor to Karsen Dorwart for the tying goal and we ended up winning in overtime.

“That’s the one (moment) that really you could tell like, that’s where he’s different. It’s like, you need a big-time player to make a big-time play at that point in that game, and he did.”

If Levshunov ends up making big plays for the Hawks one day, he wouldn’t be the first Michigan State defenseman to do so. That would be three-time champion Duncan Keith.

“On a daily, there’s pictures of Duncan with the Stanley Cup and with the Norris trophy and all those different things,” Nightingale said.

He sees some similarities to Keith’s situation that could play out for Levshunov if he lands in Chicago. The Hawks were early in a rebuild too.

“You had (Patrick) Kane and (Jonathan) Toews, and then you put Duncan in there. And (now) obviously, you’ve got Bedard there,” Nightingale said. “But you put a really good defensemen, it’s a similar formula.”

Nightingale said the Hawks have picked his brain about Levshunov.

“‘How does he take coaching?’ he was asked by the Hawks. “He takes it great, he wants to be coached. …

“All the teams I’ve talked with, that’s the feedback. He’s a really good kid and he wants to help the team be great. And that’s sometimes hard to find right with high-end guys. … It’s about them and their brand and their game. And (Levshunov) likes to be a part of a team and helping the team win, and I think that probably stood out to them.”

Milstein said he’s heard feedback that physically the 6-foot-2, 208-pound right-shot defenseman could stand up to the rigors of the NHL.

“We had advised him he needed to spend more time in the gym and add the strength and size and body, and he did just that,” he said.

But mentally, it’s a different story.

“Shortly after the draft, we would sit down with the team that selects him and then decide what’s best for Arty: to spend a year to finish another year of college and come out to the NHL in March or April, as soon as his season’s over in the NCAA, or come out and join the team right away,” Milstein said. “Also he’s AHL-eligible, so all of that is going to be decided and discussed.”

If Levshunov does find himself in a Hawks sweater, he’ll have a common spirit in Bedard, who’s notorious for wearing out the ice in practice.

In fact, Nienhuis said Levshunov would be on the ice right up to the minute he’s supposed to be in the gym for strength coach Will Morlock’s after-practice program.

“Let’s say it was (scheduled for) 12:30, and Arty would always stay out on the ice late working on stuff,” Nienhuis said. “He’s the last one to leave and so he would always show up maybe right on the dot, maybe a minute after, and it’s just funny to see him coming in, the whole team waiting for him.

“And he’s just got a smile on his face.”

____