Everyone connected to the Michigan State University hockey program was hopeful they might get to see freshman Artyom Levshunov play as a sophomore for East Lansing.
There aren't many defensemen in Chicago with his size, technique and skating ability. The Chicago Blackhawks didn't think so either, which is why they selected Refshunoff with the No. 2 overall pick in last month's NHL draft. Refshunoff could have returned to Michigan State and delayed his career with the Blackhawks, but instead signed with Chicago right away.
Adam Nightingale didn't blame him: This was Refshunoff's dream, and frankly, it was also Nightingale's dream with the MSU hockey program: to recruit, acquire and coach players who had the talent and potential to garner NHL interest.
Losing a player like Refshunoff after one season is a problem in developed world college hockey, and Michigan State is now a developed world college hockey program again. The more players the Spartans lose like Refshunoff, the better.
“When we got him, I thought it would be a one-year thing because that's how good he is,” Nightingale said Thursday. “But I'm going to do it every day of the week.”
The hope that Refshunoff might return for a sophomore year had a lot to do with the position he seemed so happy at Michigan State. Top defensemen, even high draft picks, tend to spend more time playing college hockey than forwards. But this is a really high ranking, the first time since 1988 that a Michigan State player has been selected in the top 10.
It's all part of the impactful legacy of Levshunov, a native of Belarus who made his mark during his brief tenure at Michigan State. He was second on the team in scoring, led the Spartans in ice time and plus-minus, and won the Big Ten Conference Defenseman of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards. And, importantly, all of this contributed to winning. His hard work and growth didn't just advance his career. His brightest moments aren't just fun to watch. They advanced the program. They led to the honor of two Big Ten Conference championships in one season and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years, when he scored the tying goal with one minute left in the tournament to lead to a first-round win.
“It's pretty hard to argue that Artie isn't ready to be a professional hockey player,” Nightingale said. “You look at his size, his skating, his flair. That's one of the things I talked about when I took the (Michigan State) job, is I want to get players that want to play in the NHL, and I want to support them and get them to the NHL. When you get players like that, it helps you win hockey games, and Artie has definitely done that.”
“Coming in second overall and winning the championship are very strong selling points for recruiting. And this is really the first time since we've been here that we've been able to really showcase all of that.”
As it stands, MSU's roster is far from empty. Nightingale said four Spartans players turned down NHL contracts this offseason: juniors Joey Larson, Carsen Dorwart and Isaac Howard and senior Red Savage. Larson and Dorwart were both free agents and were forced to turn down the possibility of finishing last season in the NHL just days after MSU's season ended, a tactic often used by NHL teams to convince players to sign and then be promoted from the American Hockey League for the following season.
Savage, a fourth-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021, and Howard, a first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022, also decided to return to Michigan State rather than begin their pro careers with their respective teams. Goaltender Trey Augustin, a second-round pick by the Red Wings last year, also returns as a sophomore.
“This doesn't happen very often,” Nightingale said of the number of players who chose to return, “so I think this is a really good sign. The players know they're improving and they want to continue to take the next step as a team, working together to make this a good hockey team.”
Nightingale agreed with their decision and said staff would drive players to the airport if they felt they were truly ready.
“We're not trying to drag anyone down,” he said, “but if you're trying to play in the best league in the world, you've got to make sure your game is as well-rounded as possible before you get there.”
Nightingale and her staff also added Vladislav Lukashevich, a 21-year-old freshman defenseman from Moscow, as a potential replacement for Levshunov. Lukashevich had signed with Northern Michigan University but did not sign a letter of intent after the school's coaching staff left in early June.
MSU would have begun recruiting Lukasievich regardless of Levsnov's decision, but losing Levsnov makes the acquisition of Lukasievich even more important. Lukasievich, who spent last season in the USHL, is a Florida Panthers prospect and a fourth-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.
“I think he's a very good puck-handler,” Nightingale said of Luckasevic. “I think he's smart and he's good defensively. I think he has a chance to make us a good hockey team.”
This team is striving to live up to the new standards they set in often thrilling fashion last season.
“We have a good group of guys,” Nightingale said of the team, which is back in training for the season. “I think the guys are unhappy with how the season ended, and I like that about this team.”
Related: Couch: The story of Michigan State's hockey season isn't how it ended, but what it started with.
Graham Couch can be reached at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Graham_Couch.
