Is Artyom Levshunov a sleeper Calder pick?

One of the few bright spots for this Chicago Blackhawks team during what has been trying times in the midst of a five-game losing streak has been the strong play of defenseman Artyom Levshunov. After getting off to a slow start in the early days of the year, the Belarusian rookie is currently playing his best hockey of the season. He finally broke through for his long-awaited first career goal on Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild. They do say the 40th time is the charm.

Levshunov has quietly asserted himself as the top Blackhawks right-shot defenseman that he was drafted to be when taken second overall in the 2024 entry draft. Many pundits questioned the decision at the time, especially passing up on talented Russian forward Ivan Demidov to potentially pair with Connor Bedard. But Levshunov is gradually winning over the doubters with his consistent improvement in performance week by week.

Levshunov's ascension as a top rookie is a bit of a surprise. Many expected fellow rookie Chicago defenseman Sam Rinzel to be the Blackhawks' leading running man in this year's Calder race, considering his increased experience over Levshunov. But the two have swapped places compared to their trial run play last season, with Levshunov taking over as the guy on the backend. Perhaps this should not be a surprise; he has proven to be a fast learner at every level so far in his young career.

"Arty Party" has now tallied a goal and 12 points in 23 games thus far in the 25-26 campaign. He leads Blackhawks defensemen in points and puts him in the top five amongst all rookies in the NHL. It is time for a conversation about Levshunov as a sleeper pick for the 2026 Calder Trophy if he keeps up this production throughout the season.

Why Arty Levshunov could be a Calder sleeper

Levshunov is likely not the player that comes to mind first when thinking about the Calder Trophy. While his play has been solid, he is a tier below the current favorites that include the likes of Demidov, Matthew Schaefer, and Becket Sennecke. But that is what makes him a sleeper in this race; he may not be in the lead, but he is closer in the rearview mirror than he may appear and has a realistic shot of coming out on top in the end.

2025 first overall pick Schaefer of the New York Islanders is the only rookie defenseman who is outproducing Levshunov at the moment. Levshunov's 12 points are good for second among rookie defenseman, which ties him with the Minnesota Wild's Zeev Buium. And in terms of forwards, only the Canadiens' Demidov and the Ducks' Sennecke currently outpace Levshunov.

Due to Levshunov's role on this Blacvkhawks team, he will have every opportunity available to him to make moves in this Calder race. He has taken point as the Blackhawks' quarterback on their first power-play unit. Last year's Calder-winning defenseman, Lane Hutson, was able to use this position to his advantage by racking up assists on the special teams. Suppose Levshunov can continue to fulfill his role on the man advantage. In that case, his production will skyrocket, especially if he can continue to develop chemistry with Bedard and ride the hot stick of number 98.

Not to mention, Levshunov will continue to eat up more and more minutes as he earns the trust of Jeff Blashill and the coaching staff. As he works his way into a top pair role and munches 20-plus minute nights, he's gonna have more and more chances to make his mark on the game. His increased confidence of late has been clearly evident. He is asserting himself on the breakout with his fast pace of play, being a pest to play against net front with his mean frame in the defensive zone, and has been engaged in the offensive zone regularly firing pucks on net looking for deflections.

Of course, Levshunov is gonna have his work cut out for him if he wants to join his teammate Bedard as a Calder winner. This 2026 rookie class is deep, with plenty of tough competitors. But if Levshunov can keep making strides as he has done thus far, he will get votes and maybe even earn a nomination for the award when the time comes.

One can argue that Levshunov is already the most improved Blackhawk from the beginning of the season to now. And the scary part is, it feels like he has only scratched the surface of what he can do. If he can become that Norris-caliber defenseman he has the potential to be, few will question the Blackhawks' decision to draft him anymore in the end.