Michigan State hockey lands replacement for Artyom Levshunov
It didn't take Adam Nightingale long to get Michigan State hockey an Artyom Levshunov replacement.
In case you've been living under a rock in recent weeks, Levshunov was selected No. 2 overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL Draft and decided to sign a deal to stay with the organization, passing up a chance to return to Michigan State for another season.
Nightingale knew he had to make a move to counter this decision and fill out the roster for the 2024-25 Big Ten title defense season.
He did just that on Tuesday, landing a star defenseman from the USHL.
Michigan State hockey has added defensemen Vladislav Lukashevich for this season. Was 3rd in the USHL for scoring for a defenseman (11 goals, 32 assists). 2nd Team All-USHL player last year at Tri-City. Florida 4th round pick.
— Nathaniel Bott (@Nathaniel_Bott) July 16, 2024
Big add for the Spartans in replacing Levshunov.
The Spartans added Vladislav Lukashevich from the USHL for the upcoming season and he was third in the league for scoring with 11 goals and 32 assists, per Nathaniel Bott.
On top of that, he was second-team All-USHL and was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. This was one of those additions that may not seem like much right now, but it could be the difference between just making the NCAA Tournament and making a run at the Frozen Four. This gives Michigan State a talented replacement for one of the best defensemen in the country.
While replacing Levshunov is going to be next to impossible because he's one of the best in the nation at what he does, it gives Trey Augustine some peace of mind with a solid defenseman coming in to bolster the roster and protect the net.
Michigan State hockey got better once again on Tuesday, folks.