Moritz Seider knows why Artyom Levshunov looks more comfortable this Blackhawks season

DETROIT — Experience is helpful for any NHL player, but it could be especially helpful for Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov.

That's partly because, as has been discussed thoroughly over the past two-plus years, Levshunov was very raw when the Hawks drafted him — even compared to other first-round picks in his draft class.

He was physically mature, but he had relatively a long way to go in terms of mental maturity and understanding how to play hockey at the highest level. His rawness was evident during his chaotic 2025-26 rookie season, and his growth process has been equally evident so far this season.

But that experience could be especially helpful also partly because Levshunov, who celebrated his 21st birthday Wednesday, plays so much better when relying on instincts instead of calculations. Over-thinking is his Achilles' heel. And experience reduces over-thinking.

Hawks coach Jeff Blashill has compared Levshunov to Red Wings stalwart Moritz Seider several times, referencing how it took Seider a while to reach his peak as arguably one of the top 10 defensemen in the league.

Seider said Thursday he hopes he still hasn't reached his peak yet, but he agreed he benefited greatly from the experience he accumulated during his first couple NHL seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23).

"It's almost like you're creating a toolbox, playing against all those players for numerous years," Seider said. "You know their tendencies. You know what certain lines have for playing styles, what certain power plays like to do.

"[Eventually], it happens automatically. You don't think about too much anymore [about] what's happening on the other side. You just know, 'OK, if I face this player, they tend to do more [of this].'"

And things happening automatically is a crucial key to success, in Seider's opinion.

"The more natural it comes to you, the better off you are," he added. "The game is too fast to be thinking about it for a split-second. Then you're already a second behind. That's something I've definitely learned."

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It's worth noting Seider didn't debut in the NHL until two years after he was drafted, following one full season in the AHL and one in Sweden. Levshunov, on the other hand, debuted nine months after he was drafted. At this point in Levshunov's timeline, Seider was just one month into his Wings career.

One could argue the Hawks shouldn't have kept Levshunov in the NHL last season, either, but his perceived lack of motivation to play in Rockford might've tied their hands.

Regardless, his development already seems to be on a more encouraging track this season. He hasn't completely eliminated the glaring mistakes — the "Arty moments" — that plagued him last season, but he has reduced them to only one or two per game.

Aside from those hiccups, he looks markedly more poised and effective on the ice. He's making smarter decisions, being more predictable to teammates, maintaining better defensive positioning, reading the ice and how plays are unfolding faster and more accurately and skating with the puck more assertively.

"The more comfortable he gets, he'll get exponentially better," Blashill said. "He's not totally there yet, but he's more comfortable in the systems, he's more comfortable in his skin and he's more comfortable as an NHL player. So it allows him to go out and play and not overthink things."

Since Bowen Byram's injury, Levshunov leads Hawks defensemen in five-on-five ice time per game, reflecting Blashill's increasing trust.

And while the other defensemen struggle with defensive-zone exits, Levshunov has been the one guy able to exit semi-consistently. He still sometimes gets in trouble by holding onto the puck too long, but that's preferable at least to making panicked passes that become turnovers.

Seider, it turns out, has been watching from afar with interest.

"It looks like the guy doesn't get tired out there," he said. "He's learning the game more and more. It takes a little bit to adjust, but I think his skill level is very underrated. He has great hands in tight areas. Obviously, he's going to be a big part of that blue line for a long time."

One Seider trait Blashill would like to see Levshunov adopt more is his physicality. Seider uses his size and strength to not only deliver hits but also dominate battles along the boards and separate opponents from the puck.

Levshunov, being what Blashill calls a "physical freak," has been more physical this season — his hits per game have increased from 1.44 to 1.92 — but he could do even more with that strength.

"Seider is somebody Arty can look at and say, 'I want to bring that piece to my game,'" Blashill said.