The Levshunov Problem

The Hawks have hit their first crossroads of their rebuild. There's no evidence other than blind faith they know what to do about it.

Yet another "Rebuild Ranking" article came across my view the other day, which always breaks my brain. This one doesn't even adhere to its own rules, seems to make up new ones as it goes, and just gets to the point it wanted to get to beforehand without following any through-line to get there. Whatever, not really the point.

The hope of the Hawks rebuild isn't so much the drafting acumen, but the carpet-bombing approach of it. Kyle Davidson doesn't have to be a genius or see the Matrix. It's just that he's gotten so many swings that he only has to hit at a Kyle Schwarber average as long as his connections are Kyle Schwarber slugging. He can whiff more than other GMs, because he's seeing more pitches.

Ok, fine. That actually makes some sense. But merely selecting guys is only part of the job. From selection to the roster, and then to prominent NHL roles, is actually more important. The development. Which is also linked to the drafting, because before any player is selected to be part of the organization, there has to be a clear vision of how that organization gets them from wearing a suit on draft night and holding the jersey to playing 15-20 minutes per night and making a difference in them.

What is the proof that the Hawks have any idea how to do that? Artyom Levshunov is the biggest test case right now.

Connor Bedard doesn't count. He's a generational talent that the Hawks couldn't screw up, even though they definitely have tried. Levshunov is the other side of the spectrum, where there clearly are vibrant, raw tools that need a shit ton of sculpting to be a real piece (I realize the faultiness of a metaphor illustrating how tools need to be shaped instead of doing the shaping, but leave me alone I'm feeling pretty down on my whole operation today). And yet every step of the way this season, Levshunov has taken a step backward.

What is most worrying about Levshunov, is that while the skating and aggressiveness can look like a fun toy, there is a complete lack of instincts. Those are the foundations of any player, and without them, a player is just Christopher Morel. Very talented who has no idea how to actually play the game. At first, Levshunov's cowboy ways just seemed like unique instincts, and a desire to play a more aggressive game than most d-men. That he sensed his feet would always get him back to position. That's what the coaches have told him, too. They seem to get what Levshunov could be.

But now Levshunov's skating around now seems just skating around. It's not finding holes or trying to keep opponents guessing or trying to find their blindspots, it's just a kid who can't sit still. Because it's not opening up anything. He passes to guys standing still on the power play while trying to enter the zone. He passes to guys going off for a change. He isn't ever in the right spots defensively, no matter what system the Hawks are using. He gets overpowered, even though he's listed at 6-2. There's no sense of how to maintain leverage with the size he has, even if he doesn't have the strength yet. He doesn't understand angles or gaps. He's just at recess.

It looks increasingly like this is a player whose skating was just so far above the NCAA competition that he could do whatever because he was in such space. He didn't have to be in the right position at Michigan State, because he had the time to eat up the ground with that skating. He could create offense just because no one could catch him. Guys can catch him in the NHL.

Every Hawks apologist runs for the stronghold of how much time everything takes, and everyone will be good because they're young and there's so much time for them to get good. And every defenseman needs 200 games or whatever the fuck the arbitrary number is now, because Duncan Keith once looked like a mess. Folks, let me tell you, Duncan Keith never looked like the mess Levshunov looks like now.

Look at the best d-men in the league now. Werenski, Hughes, Hutson, Jones, Makar, Heiskanen, Hedman, Harley, whoever else you'd like on the list, whatever their numbers were as rookies, they all looked like they would be ass-kickers the moment they stepped on the ice. They immediately showed what they could be. None of them were this lost. And this is after Rinzel looked lost. And after Korchinski looked lost. The faith that the Hawks can develop a true, puck-moving defenseman is only based on faith. There. Is. No. Evidence. Ever. They never had this player a decade ago. A team needs this player in this NHL. Everyone i the front office is rooted in what the Hawks used to do, which never included this. Which is becoming apparent.

The Hawks have been in this rebuild for three or four years now. Who is the player they've brought through that even looks like a future difference maker? Spencer Knight doesn't count, because he was developed by Florida. Frank Nazar has one goal in 30 games. Oliver Moore remains just fast. Sam Rinzel was vaulted to the top pairing after eight meaningless games at the end of last season, and that went so well he ended up back in Rockford. Kevin Korchinski is dead.

So where is this development? Levshunov is going to require the most work, and there's no evidence the Hawks have the capability to do it. The claims are just "they're young now and of course they'll just get good when they get older because they'll get older."

Jeff Blashill says all the right things about Levshunov. He wants him to play a unique game. He wants him to do things that d-men don't normally do. And yet it doesn't happen. Is he telling Levshunov something different in practice and games than he does the media? Or it's just not getting through? Do either make anyone feel good?

The TIMELINE FOR D-MEN shouldn't apply to the fucking #2 pick overall. Not when Sennecke and Demidov showed up and immediately looked like forwards that could have perfectly complimented Bedard. If he's such a project, maybe he should have been someone else's project, when Rinzel and Korchinski were already in the house. Except the Hawks didn't know Rinzel was good and they hate Korchinski. And this is the braintrust everyone is supposed to trust to develop what looks to be a massive project?

Everything feels fine to most observers because the Hawks have successfully bought themselves so much time. When does the evidence on show, even if there isn't a ton of it, matter in the least? Apparently not until 2030 at the earliest.