Analyzing where Artyom Levshunov stands after chaotic Blackhawks rookie season

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Official ages can be deceiving in hockey.

A player might be 21 in terms of actual years lived, but more like a 23-year-old physically and like a 19-year-old mentally, or vice versa.

That's an interesting way of looking at things, reframing the conversation to reflect it's not that the player is better physically than mentally but simply more developed physically than mentally.

He's simply further along the bell curve of physical growth, for example, and will likely reach his peak sooner in that category. But he may ultimately reach his peaks in both categories. That imbalance might not be permanent.

Blackhawks defenseman Sam Rinzel's Minnesota-based trainer, Cal Dietz, explained that viewpoint to the Sun-Times last fall, and it's easy to see how it applies to 21-year-old Rinzel, who is clearly more developed mentally than physically. Another summer of gaining strength and weight (just like he did last summer) should help him next season.

It also applies to Hawks rookie defenseman Artyom Levshunov, 20, who is clearly more developed physically than mentally right now — just as he was when the Hawks drafted him two years ago.

Levshunov's strength is remarkable. He was surely one of the strongest rookies around the NHL this season. His physical maturity is an asset not only when delivering hits but also in puck battles, in box-outs, when protecting the puck and many other scenarios.

Instead, it's Levshunov's hockey IQ — his decision-making, his positioning, his consistency and so forth — that sometimes holds him back and receives scrutiny.

Will that be a career-long weakness? Or will it just take him longer to reach his peak mental performance? That's the burning question that could dictate whether he becomes the franchise defenseman the Hawks envision.

Levshunov's rookie season is now over, ended prematurely by a left-hand fracture after 68 appearances, during which he recorded two goals, 22 assists, 84 shots on goal, 75 blocked shots, 98 hits and a minus-41 rating.

There were highs where Levshunov flashed his game-breaking talent. There were canyon-like lows where Levshunov looked lost on the ice. Most Hawks fans seemed disappointed by the overall performance. Internally, the Hawks were encouraged by it.

"I thought he made great strides," coach Jeff Blashill said Saturday. "Obviously he stacked up too many minuses, but [you must consider] where he started and where he was a year ago, the age he’s trying to play the hardest position in and the rawness which he was when we drafted him.

"When we teach and show him stuff, he goes out and does it. His hockey instincts are really good. He still needs to learn how to connect the dots directionally at times — in terms of following systematic directions or things like that — but Arty is a way better player today than he was at the beginning of the year. And I think there’s going to be continued growth there."

Asked where Levshunov improved the most, Blashill brought up his understanding of power-play concepts like drop passes, which looked awkward coming out of his hands early on.

Blashill also praised Levshunov's ability to defend well with both his stick and body, instead of just one or the other. That's a good point, considering other physically mature Hawks (like Alex Vlasic) are much more stick-based than body-based defenders.

There's no question Levshunov still needs to improve in plenty of areas, including limiting turnovers, limiting penalties (21 minors called against him), tighter zone-entry defense, better shooting power and accuracy, better communication with teammates, better control of emotions and bouncing back more readily after mistakes.

Yes, that list is long. But the Hawks expected it might be at this early stage of his career.

"He’s a really raw player," Blashill added. "But if he puts the work in this summer, he’ll come back in a good spot."