Former Michigan State standout defenseman Artyom Levshunov, the No. 2 pick in the June draft, will be sidelined another four weeks because of a right foot injury.

The Belarus native was hurt blocking a shot while training Sept. 11.

“If everything goes well with his next (doctor) visit, in the next seven days, he can start skating at least. So I think he’ll be looking forward to that,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson told NHL.com. “He’s around the facility. We kind of have to kick him out most days but yeah, he’s super eager to go. He’s pretty disappointed but he’s able to do a lot of other training, so it’s not like he’s sitting around, sedentary, doing nothing.”

Levshunov was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season. The 18-year-old was the third-youngest player in college hockey in 2023-24, and did plenty to help out Red Wings premium prospect Trey Augustine who was the Michigan State goalie.

GM Kyle Davidson provides an update on injured #Blackhawks Artyom Levshunov and Laurent Brossoit. pic.twitter.com/q2NlC5lqE9

— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) September 20, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Bob Duff looks at the potential at the Red Wings’ top six forwards — Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Patrik Kane, etc.. How many goals can this group score?

The presence of Austin Watson and Isaac Ratcliffe in training camp on PTOs suggesst the Red Wings know they could use some toughness.

Behind the Paywall: DHN looks at Albert Johansson‘s potential to crack the Red Wings’ top six. He may have to battle his way into a playing spot even if he makes the roster. To buy a yearly subscription to our paywall stories, click here.

Red Wings Extra

Detroit prospect goalie Rudy Guimond (169th, 2023) posted a 25-save shutout to  help the Cedar Rapids Roughriders upend the Omaha Lancers, 4-0. He was the game’s No. 1 star. The Quebec native is committed to Yale after this season.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Tyler Johnson fired up about the opportunity he has with the Boston Bruins.

Pittsburgh: Rutger McGroarty showing what all the fuss is about at Pittsburgh’s training camp. Pittsburgh Penguins. 

San Jose: Defenseman Mario Ferraro says the Sharks owe it to fans to produce a much better season than they had in 2023-24. San Jose Sharks. 

Washington: T.J. Oshie says that he is starting the season on the LTIR because of his chronic back injury. Washington Capitals.

The post The Daily: Ex-Michigan State Star To Miss Preseason; Watson Update appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Artyom Levshunov’s new contract is exceptional news for the Chicago Blackhawks and a less-than-stellar occurence for the Michigan State hockey program. CHN’s Nate Brown has the story.

While it was highly likely he was going to turn pro, there were Spartans fans hoping he would stay one more season at MSU. They have an exceptional team, helped enormously by Detroit prospect Trey Augustine’s netminding.

This week at Detroit development camp, Augustine said he wished Levshunov would stay, but understood the situation. He was thrilled to see Levshunov land No. 2 to the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Definitely love to see that,” Augustine said. “He’s a great kid, a great person. The off-ice stuff, seeing how he’s developed as a citizen and his language and stuff, stuff that he improved every year. It was super cool to see.”

Levshunov likely will start in Rockford of the AHL, but he is clearly more polished than draft picks usually are.

“I just think [he’s] the total package,” Davidson said after drafting him last Thursday in Las Vegas. “Offensively, he can drive offense, he can skate, he’s super mobile, he’s got good size, he’s aggressive, he’s a physical defender and we just think there’s more upside to come and so just the package as well as the potential growth left to come is. It was just so intriguing and something we really felt that would just make us a much better organization.”

Blackhawks Daily time!!

Artyom Levshunov signed his entry level contract and he is not the only one.

Who among these players could compete for the Calder Trophy?

That + other news from around National Hockey Now: https://t.co/y6NVViIhtz

— Chicago Hockey Now (@chihockeynow) July 7, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed it

Former Red Wings prospect Andrew Gibson impresses the Nashville Predators with his all-around game in their Future Stars Game at Development camp.

GM Steve Yzerman swears it is just a coincidence that he has brought in multiple players from the University of Michigan.

Joe Veleno takes the Red Wings to arbitration over a new contract.

Paywall story: Bob Duff explains why Axel Sandin Pellikka elected to play one more season in the Swedish Hockey League. To subscribe to the story click here. To receive a $10 discount on a yearly subscription use the promo code bob10.

Red Wings Offseason

For those trying to sort out Detroit’s options with regard to having four goalies with NHL experience, keep in mind that sending NHLers on one-way contract to the AHL doesn’t  provide dollar-for-dollar cap salary cap relief. For example, if the Red Wings put Ville Husso on waivers and he went unclaimed, he would receive his $4.75 million salary cap. However, the Red Wings would not have full amount removed from their salary cap. They would receive the amount of the minimum NHL contract ($775,000), plus $375,000. Thusu the salary cap relief would only be $1.150 million.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney didn’t intend to add bigger players, but that’s what happened. Boston Bruins. 

Montreal: Marc Dumont writes that the Habs prospect pool is now the best in the NHL. Montreal Canadiens.

Philadelphia: The Flyers have already signed 2024 first round pick Jett Luchanko. Philadelphia Flyers. 

Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 2022 first round pick Owen Pickering is now a mature player, adding 20 pounds to his frame. Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose: GM Mike Grier and No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini explain what went on behind the scenes when they decided he’s ready to play now. San Jose Sharks.

Artyom Levshunov

Signs Entry-Level Deal With Blackhawks

The post The Daily: Blackhawks Pick Leaving MSU; Gibson Hit in Nashville appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Ask a hockey scout for a report on Detroit Red Wings netminding prospect Trey Augustine and they’ll tell how his game between the pipes is calm and quiet.

Speak to Augustine and you’ll quickly discover that his personality is also calm and quiet.

In conversation, there’s no braggadocio mixed into his message. Augustine is all about economy of vocabulary. He’s soft spoken, a young man of few words.

From left, Tommi Mannisto and Trey Augustine meet after Saturday's #WJSS game at @USAHockeyArena. Both will be playing for @MSU_Hockey in 2023-24, along with #USA forward Isaac Howard. https://t.co/M12NfMAXfJ

— Pete Krupsky (@PeteKrupsky) July 30, 2023

On the ice, he won’t be the one making the first move. He’s a netminder who is all about technique. Simple, quiet moves are his method for puckstopping.

“I just kind of take it one play at a time,” Augustine explained of his netminding style. “You can’t really control what’s going to happen out there.

“I think that’s a big part of what I’m trying to do. Just focus on the next play, the next opportunity that I have to make a positive impact on the game.”

On those occasions when the outcome of the play doesn’t go his way, don’t be expecting an explosion of emotion from Augustine. He’s not one to splinter his goal stick over the crossbar. He simply hits reset and gets prepared to make the next save.

“Being level headed just kind of helps me stay even keel throughout the whole game,” Augustine said.

Augustine A Competitor At Heart

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Augustine isn’t a determined competitor. Behind his calm exterior is a burning desire to excel.

He’s driven to stop the puck and it’s that drive which was encouraging the Red Wings to make the USNTDP Under-18 goalie who is heading to the Michigan State Spartans the 41st overall pick of the 2023 NHL entry draft.

“Very competitive goalie,” Detroit GM Steve Yzerman said. “It kind of sounds silly, but he looks really good in the net. He moves well, his positioning is good. He’s a competitive kid.”

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Currently playing for Team USA at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan, Augustine is also matter of fact about the knock against him. At 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds, he’s classified as small for an NHL goaltender.

“I’m obviously going to have play a little bit different than certain other guys they have,” he said of the other Red Wings goalie propsects. “So it’s finding ways I can play farther out in the crease and present as big as some of the other guys is a big part of it.”

The post Calm in Nature And in Net – That’s Red Wings Prospect Augustine appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron was announcing his retirement from the NHL on Tuesday, not that it was offering much hope to the Detroit Red Wings. While not entirely unexpected, Bergeron’s decision certainly sent shockwaves through Boston and the Atlantic Division in general.

37

Patrice Bergeron is an incredible and inspiring leader known around the League. pic.twitter.com/37fNQsagVf

— NHL (@NHL) July 26, 2023

What it didn’t do was offer much of a boost to the playoff odds of the Red Wings. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is still set at a betting line of +250 to qualify for the 2023-24 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Wings are being given -320 odds to miss the playoffs for an eighth succesive season.

In the Atlantic Division, the Montreal Canadiens (+1700) are the only team oddsmakers are saddling with a longer betting line to be postseason participants next season.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Michigan State is counting on big things from Detroit draft pick Red Savage
• Former Red Wings defenseman Slava Fetisov doesn’t see himself returning to the coaching profession
• Detroit will have plenty of cap space if the club is going to go after UFAs in the summer of 2024
• Red Wings 2022 draftee Dmitri Buchelnikov wll play playing for Russia’s U23 team

Red Wings Offseason

The AHL Chicago Wolves were announcing on Wednesday the hiring of Dave Barr as an assistant coach. A longtime NHL forward, Barr played for the Red Wings from 1987-91. He would tally a career-high 27 goals with Detroit during the 1988-89 season.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Freshly retired from the NHL, former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron is ready to become an uber driver for his children.

Buffalo: Long a problem for the club, goaltending continues to be an area of concern fof the Buffalo Sabres.

Montreal: Projected NHL standings for the 2023-24 Montreal Canadiens.

Pittsburgh: These three Pittsburgh Penguins players have the most to prove next season.

Philadelphia: Here’s why the Philadelphia Flyers will be improving as a team next season.

Islanders: The New York Islanders are awaiting a decision from Zach Parise on whether he’ll be retiring from the NHL.

Carolina: Locking up Sebastian Aho to a long-term pact is a done deal for the Carolina Hurricanes.

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Chicago: Rockey Wirtz, chairman of the Chicago Blackhawks, is dead at the age of 70.

Colorado: Locking in center Ben Meyers to a one-year contract, the Colorado Avalanche now have their entire roster signed up for the 2023-24 NHL season.

Nashville: Are the Nashville Predators in on UFA forward Vladimir Tarasenko?

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Kings will be taking part in the rookie showcase tournament being conducted by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Vegas: After coach Bruce Cassidy was shutting down the country club atmosphere, the Vegas Golden Knights were winning the Stanley Cup.

San Jose: Which players are locks to be making the San Jose Sharks roster for the 2023-24 NHL season?

The post The Daily: Bergeron Retirement Isn’t Boosting Red Wings Playoff Chances; Hurricanes Lock up Aho Long Term appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Red Savage’s value to the Michigan State hockey squad goes well beyond all statistical measurements.

The Spartans are a young bunch, a squad that featured nine freshmen last season. They are looking for junior transfer Red Savage to provide leadership next winter. Savage transferred from Miami (Ohio), where he had seven goals and 14 points last season.

Spartans coach Adam Nightingale coached Savage when both were part of the National Team Development Program in Plymouth during the 2020-21 season. Savage was drafted by the Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.

“There were a lot of schools around him, and we were happy he decided to come to Michigan State,” Nightingale said. “We had a relationship. I didn’t coach him, but he knows me, he knows our strength coach, and he’s a guy who does a really good job. He’s a guy the guys (in the room) really respect. I think the trajectory of our program is one on the rise. We’re not there yet, but we’re headed in the right direction.”

Red Savage’s Pedigree

Savage, whose given name is Redmond, is a 5-foot-11, 180-pound center who is a native of Scottsdale, Arizona. His hockey pedigree is extensive.

An older brother, Ryan, finished his eligibility at Miami last winter. His father, Brian, is a Miami alum who played for 12 seasons in the NHL, primarily with Montreal. Three of Red’s great-uncles, Larry, Wayne, and Floyd Hillman, also played in the NHL. Larry played three of his 22 pro seasons with the Red Wings.

Red Savage is among 15 newcomers to the Michigan State roster this season, and Nightingale is counting on him for leadership.

“That’s one of the biggest reasons we wanted him,” Nightingale said. “He definitely has those leadership qualities, and that will be important with a young group this year.”

Nightingale expects Savage to lead on and off the ice.

“He’s very smart, and very, very competitive,” the coach said. “He plays both sides well and all 200 feet on the ice. But it’s his compete level that separates him.”

In July, the Spartans gathered for off-season workouts and team bonding for several weeks before school begins in August.

“Now they can start becoming a team, instead of waiting for the beginning of school,” Nightingale said. “We’ve got a really good group of leaders, guys who do it the right way.”

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Last year, Michigan State posted the most victories  (18) in a season in more than a decade.  This year, with the addition of players like Savage, Adam Nightingale hopes to continue that improvement.

The post Red Savage Expected to Play Key Role for MSU Hockey appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Michigan-Michigan State football rivalry even rises up in the Detroit Red Wings’ dressing room, especially when former Spartans Justin Abdelkader and Drew Miller played in Detroit.

Today’s Red Wings roster doesn’t have a former Spartan to verbally joust with former Michigan hockey players Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp. But Abdelkader and Miller should know that at least a couple of Detroit players are representing for the Spartans even if they didn’t attend the school.

“I don’t know if my heart is with Michigan State, but just don’t think it’s with Michigan,” said goalie Alex Nedeljkovic said.

What you should know about Nedeljkovic is that he is from Ohio. That should tell you everything.

Why Michigan football had Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin waking up early from nap https://t.co/7Ud90bHXUY pic.twitter.com/ruShhk4Ai2

— Ron Bohning (@RonBohning) November 28, 2021

“I don’t know if I like anybody in the game, but it is probably more I’d just like to see Michigan lose,” Nedeljkovic said.

Nedeljkovic was clearly having some fun. Asked to name one thing he likes about the Michigan Wolverines, he said: “They have a nice golf course.”

Wolverines Favored

The unranked Spartans face the No. 4 Wolverines tonight at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN). That’s a half hour after the opening faceoff for the Red Wings’ home game against the Minnesota Wild. Larkin and Copp will likely be able to see the end of the football game after their game is over.

“Michigan’s gonna win I hope,” Larkin said. “We have a game so I won’t be paying attention that close.”

But it seems likely the Red Wings will post the score on the scoreboard and maybe show highlights.

“I hope so,” Larkin said. Hope it’s a good score. I hope our crowd is not too affected by it. Obviously it’s a big game but hopefully our fans have been great this year. We’ve relied on their energy that they brought in the first few games. We’re gonna need that on Saturday.”

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Chirping Rights?

Nedeljkovic isn’t the only person in the dressing room looking for a Spartan victory. Finnish goalie Ville Husso professed not to know much about college football, but said he was going for Michigan State

He said he was siding with Michigan State just because Larkin and Copp went to Michigan.

“If I win, maybe I chirp them a little bit,” Husso said.

Larkin said it was “surprising” to find out Husso backed the Spartans.

“That’s my first bone to pick with him,” Larkin said.

The fact that Michigan is favored by more than three touchdowns didn’t faze Husso.

“It’s one game so you never know,” Husso said. “It’s a big matchup. The whole state of Michigan will be watching.”

Nedeljkovic was just having some fun. Does he believe Michigan State will beat Michigan.

“No,” he said. “I have seen Michigan State play this season.”

The post Red Wings Goalies Root Against Larkin’s Wolverines in Tonight’s Big Game appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.