For just the 8th time in program history, a Michigan State Spartan hockey player was taken in the 1st round of the National Hockey League (NHL) Draft, when Artyom Levshunov was chosen second overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in Las Vegas on Friday, June 28th.

It marked the highest a Spartan had been taken since 2004, when AJ Thelen was taken 12th overall by his home state Minnesota Wild before enrolling at MSU, and is the second highest draft slot in program history behind Joe Murphy who went No. 1 in 1986.

The Spartans have now had players selected in the first two rounds in back to back years (Trey Augustine, second round, 2023) for the first time since 1985-86, and with four total players selected, they also had the most players selected since 2002.

The biggest question asked after the draft by Spartans fans was "Will Arty come back?" Friday night I was responding "it is unlikely". Heading into the draft there was a feeling if Levshunov made it to third overall and the Anaheim Ducks, that he was more likely to return. Chicago has historically been a less patient franchise, wanting their players to elevate as soon as possible (NOTE: The NHL Draft happens with young prospects, and they maintain NCAA Eligibility afterwards. Teams have 4 years to sign their draft picks, in this window they have exclusive rights). The Blackhawks are in a rebuild right now, led by last season's number one pick Connor Bedard, and recently top NCAA prospects have used more agency to force trades from their draft teams, prompting NHL teams to be less patient in giving time away from contracts from their top players. This past season the Philadelphia Flyers traded their former No. 5 overall 2022 draft pick Cutter Gauthier, after Gauthier refused to meet with team executives and said he would not report to Philadelphia at the conclusion of his season at Boston College.

Since the draft, momentum has continued to slowly move towards Levshunov possibly returning to East Lansing for his sophomore campaign. For one, Levshunov is not the type to force a trade if he were to come back to East Lansing next season. The product of Belarus is humble, sensitive, affable, and shy. When he reports to the NHL, whenever that may be, it will almost assuredly be for the Blackhawks. However, that personality as an international player, has given some people pause on rushing Levshunov to the NHL, per sources. The Chicago media market is intense, there is a huge spotlight right now with Bedard as the breakout star of the NHL's future, and the pick of Levshunov at second overall over forward prospect Ivan Demidov of Russia, was contentious among the fanbase. Adjusting to the NHL speed as a defensemen is incredibly tough, and add in that angst, maybe a season to develop further in East Lansing, and joining the Blackhawks at the end of 2025 is preferable.

In 2021, the Buffalo Sabres selected Owen Power first overall, following his freshman campaign on the University of Michigan blue line. The Sabres were a deep rebuild, cannon fodder for a defensemen rookie, in an intense media environment, and chose to have Power spend his sophomore year in Ann Arbor, where he doubled his points, and joined the Sabres for eight games at the conclusion of his NCAA season. The recent precedent is there. The organizations may be different, but the precedent is there for a top defensemen to return to NCAA hockey. Add in that now Levshunov can draw money from his NIL, something that was vital in securing his commitment to the Spartans over Michigan and Vermont last summer, and the odds tick up just a bit more in the Spartans favor.

This week, Levshunov is skating with the Blackhawks at the Prospect Development Camp. There will be ongoing conversations with the team, Levshunov's agents, the coaches, and Levshunov himself on where they see him slotting into the plans next season in Chicago. NHL free agency opened yesterday, and the Blackhawks acquired veteran defensemen T.J. Brodie and Alec Martinez. They now have six established NHL defensemen in Martinez, Brodie, Seth Jones, Connor Murphy, Kevin Korchinski, and Alex Vlasic. Wyatt Kaiser is a 21-year-old 2020 third round pick who is ready for NHL service after splitting time between the AHL and NHL last season. That makes for seven defensemen and a team usually carries seven or eight on their travelling squad. It would make no sense for Levshunov to be a healthy scratch sitting on year one of his cheaper rookie deal, meaning likely the conversation is AHL or NCAA, at least to start next season. The aforementioned Korchinski? He was drafted seventh overall in 2022, was returned to the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds in 2022-23 and then played 76 games in Chicago last season, never once seeing the ice in the AHL.

So what will happen? I would imagine Levshunov and his people will know the plan by the end of this week and the development camp. Given recent history with Korchinski, the depth chart, and Levshunov's personality? I have moved my confidence to a 60% chance of returning and being honest it inches up every day. At this point I believe, you will see a sophomore season for Artyom Levshunov at Michigan State, another year under the tutelage of this staff, and the off ice work with Wil Morlock in the gym. If he leaves, erase this prediction from your brain entirely, it never happened.

Three more players with Spartan ties, heard their names called on Saturday in Las Vegas. Patrick Geary, scorer of the B1G Tournament Championship winning goal, was selected in the sixth round at 172nd overall by his hometown Buffalo Sabres. Geary joins fellow Spartan defensemen Maxim Strbak as Sabres' property, and both will be back in East Lansing for their sophomore seasons next year.

Two Spartans who have signed their letters of intent, and will be arriving on campus after an additional year in the USHL also heard their names called in the seventh round. At pick No. 197, the Vegas Golden Knights selected Livonia, Mich., forward Lucas Van Vliet, fresh off a two-year stint with the USA National Team Development Program. Van Vliet was one of the first 2006 born players to commit to Adam Nightingale in August 2022, and will spend next season with Dubuque of the USHL logging big minutes.

At pick No. 203, the home state Detroit Red Wings made it two years in a row selecting a USA NTDP player heading to Michigan State, as they selected White Lake Township forward Austin Baker. Baker, like Van Vliet, committed to the Spartans August 2022, and will be sticking with an additional impact year in the USHL playing for Sioux Falls next season.

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