NHL Buzz: Levshunov to make Blackhawks debut against Avalanche

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Chicago Blackhawks

Artyom Levshunov will make his NHL debut at the Colorado Avalanche on Monday (9 p.m. ET; CHSN+, ALT2, TVAS-D).

The 19-year-old defenseman, who was the No. 2 pick by the Blackhawks at the 2024 NHL Draft, was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Sunday after he had 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 50 games.

Levshunov missed training camp and the start of the season after blocking a shot with his right foot Sept. 11.

“I always dreamed about this, like all my hockey life, and for sure it's unbelievable to make a debut tonight. Yeah, it's incredible,” Levshunov said after the morning skate. “I'm not [nervous]. I feel good.

“Not really [nervous]; it's a hockey game. I’ve got to go in, do my job, play hard.”

Chicago (20-35-9) is 31st in the NHL and traded defenseman Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers on March 2 for goalie Spencer Knight and a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Florida also received a fourth-round selection in 2026.

Jason Dickinson was activated from injured reserve and will also be in the Blackhawks lineup Monday; the forward missed 11 games with a high ankle sprain. Dickinson has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 53 games this season.

“He's felt good for the last week here,” Chicago coach Anders Sorensen said. “[He’s] been close and had some really good practices and some skates, and yeah, he looked good today.” -- Ryan Boulding

Dallas Stars

Roope Hintz (face) is day to day and did not play Sunday in a 4-1 win at the Vancouver Canucks.

Hintz, a center, traveled back to Dallas after he was hit by a deflected puck during a 5-4 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He has 52 points (25 goals, 27 assists) and is plus-13 in 59 games this season.

“We’ll see,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said before the game Sunday. “My initial thought was it’s nothing long, long term, but obviously not available. Day to day here.

“We’ve dealt with injury adversity all year, and it hasn’t affected us for the most part. That’s big shoes to fill when you take him and (Miro Heiskanen) and (Tyler) Seguin out of the lineup, but our guys haven’t used that as an excuse. They’ve shown up and played really solid hockey.”

Dallas (42-20-2), which has won eight of its past 10 games, visits the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal may not be able to return before the end of the regular season.

The 27-year-old forward has been out with a lower-body injury sustained after blocking a shot late in the third period of a 3-2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1. He had a minor procedure Feb. 6 and is out indefinitely.

The Islanders' regular-season finale is April 17 at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"We hope, but I couldn't answer that," general manager Lou Lamoriello said Saturday. "We'll see where the rehab will take us. We're not going to push it. We're not going to rush it. We're not going to chance anything. He will be 100 percent completely healthy if he is to return."

Barzal missed 21 games earlier in the season with an upper-body injury. He has 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 30 games.

Semyon Varlamov (lower body) remains sidelined. The 36-year-old goalie hasn't played since Nov. 29 and was working his way back before Lamoriello said Feb. 1 he had been shut down and is out indefinitely.

"I think that Varlamov is going to be difficult for the rest of the season," Lamoriello said.

Marcus Hogberg (upper body) was activated from injured reserve Sunday after the goalie missed 14 games. He made 24 saves in a 4-1 loss at the Anaheim Ducks. -- Stefen Rosner