Top NHL prospect Artyom Levshunov adds to mountain of momentum for Michigan State Hockey

Top 2024 NHL Draft prospect chooses Michigan State hockey over Michigan, Vermont, and Canadian junior league CHL.

Michigan State hockey is continuing its huge momentum from the 2022-23 season, adding what many suspect to be a top five NHL pick to their roster for the fall.

Lansing State Journal’s Nathaniel Bott reported Monday morning that Belarus-born defensemen Artyom Levshunov has committed to MSU. With what is likely a “one-and-done” stint with the Spartans, a blue-chip signing like this is a significant moment for MSU hockey, as top prospect signings have gone from few and far between to twice in the last year.

HUGE add for Michigan State 2023-2024 hockey roster.

Defenseman Artyom Levshunov, ranked as high as third overall on 2024 NHL Draft boards, is on campus and will suit up for the Spartans this upcoming season.

13 goals and 29 assists with Green Bay in the USHL last year.

— Nathaniel Bott (@Nathaniel_Bott) July 24, 2023

The addition of Levshunov is more than just another elevating piece for the Spartan’s 2023-24 campaign but another notch in the credibility belt for a program reborn under coach Adam Nightingale.

Artyom Levshunov is a right-handed puck-moving defenseman that spent the last season in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers, notching 42 points in 62 games in his first season on the other side of the world from his homeland.

Prior to that, the Belorussian blue-liner played for his country’s national team, posting well over a point per game which is incredible for a defenseman.

For the uninitiated in the college hockey world, this level signing in East Lansing is the work of wizardry normally reserved for basketball’s Tom Izzo. While Michigan in the last few years has dominated the “NCAA to NHL” pipeline, MSU has inked two top picks this calendar year. For MSU to not only beat out the top hockey schools but the Canadian Hockey League’s junior system as well is nothing short of a masterclass.

The critiques of college hockey’s ability to ready young men for the rigors of the NHL have been known and longstanding. For coach Night to overcome these many hurdles with a future NHL star goes to show that MSU could be lining itself up to be a power broker in college hockey.