The Chicago Blackhawks added to their deep prospect pool with three first-round picks on Day One of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28 in Las Vegas.

The Blackhawks selected at second overall by virtue of the draft lottery, at 18th thanks to a trade with the New York Islanders and at 27th after a draft-floor trade with Carolina that sent two second-round selections to Carolina.

Defenseman Artyom Levshunov (No. 2 pick), forward Sacha Boisvert (18th) and forward Marek Vanacker (27th) bring different skills sets and are on different trajectories on their paths to turning pro.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect from the three. BTW: Chicago has made the most first-round selections of any NHL club over the last three drafts (eight).

Artyom Levshunov: No. 2 Overall

The 6-foot-2, 210 pound Levshunov is already a pro. The 18-year-old signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on July 6 at the close of the team’s off-ice only development camp.

That means the native of Belarus will not return to Michigan State, where was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. Strong and mobile, the 18-year-old Levshunov scored nine goals and 35 points in 38 games with the Spartans and was a plus-27 en route to being named Defensive Player of the Year in the conference.

After rookie and training camps this fall, Levshunov probably will be assigned to Rockford of the AHL. The Blackhawks are extremely deep with defenseman prospects and general manager Kyle Davidson said Levshunov has the potential to be a No. 1 NHL D-man in time.

“Signing Artyom gives us the opportunity to continue his development in-house and take the next step into professional hockey,” Davidson said in a statement. “He’s a strong two-way defenseman that has all the tools to be a high-end player in the NHL and we’re excited to continue his growth at the pro level.”

At the start of development camp, Levshunov was coy and circumspect about his plans for 2024-25, saying he needed to talk to his “advisors.” He quietly hinted he might even land in the NHL. See the following video.

Levshunov is knocking on the door with pro size and speed. Last season in NCAA play, opponents were warned to watch out for his wheels and willingness to use them. At Rockford, he’ll have a chance to adapt his skills and decision-making at a higher level.

Sacha Boisvert: No. 18 Overall

Boisvert, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound native of Trois-Rivières, Quebec scored 36 goals and 68 points in 61 games with the USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2023-24, improving markedly in second season with the junior club.

Boisvert is committed to play next season with the University of North Dakota, where former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews skated for two seasons before joining Chicago in 2007-08.

Boisvert is billed as having strong hockey sense, a heavy shot and playing aggressively with a real edge. He said he patterns his style after players “who can play a physical game and also put the puck in the back of the net.” He called out former NHLer Eric Lindros as well at Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk.

Davidson said Boisvert, who should fill out and get stronger at North Dakota next season, was the type of player the Blackhawks hoped to get in the No. 18 slot. See following video.

“He’s another young guy who came into his own this year, had a really strong, consistent performance in the USHL with Muskegon,” said Dan Marr, vice president of NHL Central Scouting. “He’s the guy that brings the combination of skill and physicality, he likes to play that power forward game, he can defend himself, he can win the 1-on-1 battles and he initiates the 1-on-1 battles. This is a guy that when you go into a scrum, he’s going to come out with the puck.”

Marek Vanacker: No. 27 Overall

Davidson stayed nimble on the draft floor in Las Vegas and completed a trade with Carolina to nab another first-rounder and turn it into Vanacker. “He plays so hard,” Davidson said. “Get gets his nose into every battle and scores greasy goals.” See following video.

Vanacker, 18, posted career highs in games played (68), goals (36), assists (46) and points (82) with the OHL Brantford Bulldogs during the 2023-24 campaign. His 36 goals and 82 points led the team, while his 46 assists ranked second among Bulldogs skaters.

As a player, Vanacker has been called “country strong” living up to the translation of his surname from Dutch. It means “from the farmland.” Fittingly, Vanacker is from a small-town in southern Ontario, Delhi, located just inland from Lake Erie and midway between London and Niagara Falls.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Vanacker is known for a dogged style and played part of last season with torn labrum in his left shoulder. He had surgery before the draft an is expected to be sidelined until December when he’ll return to Brantford.

Vacacker has appeared in 123 regular-season games with Brantford from 2022-24, compiling 40 goals and 98 points,

With the Bulldogs, Vanacker has played with fellow Blackhawks draft pick Nick Lardis (2023, 67^th overall) the past two seasons. He has recorded seven points (3G, 4A) in 12 career OHL postseason games.

Vanacker helped Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2024 U18 IIHF World Championship, posting one goal in six games.