The Chicago Blackhawks selected right-shot defenceman Artyom Levshunov with the second-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday night.
The 18-year-old Belarusian spent the 2023-24 season playing in the NCAA for Michigan State University, where he recorded 35 points (nine goals and 26 assists) in 38 games.
Prior to his freshman season at Michigan State, Levshunov spent one season in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers.
With Macklin Celebrini of Boston University chosen as the first-overall pick by the San Jose Sharks, this marked the third draft to have college players go 1-2, and first since 2021 when Michigan teammates Owen Power and Matty Beniers were chosen first and second.
The Blackhawks had last year’s first-overall pick, forward Connor Bedard, announce their selection of Levshunov.
Levshunov became the fourth overall player from Belarus to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft, and first since first since Montreal took forward Andrei Kostitsyn 10th in 2003. He also became the earliest selected player from Belarus chosen after defenseman Ruslan Salei went ninth to Anaheim in 1996.
— with files from the Associated Press