The Blackhawks called up top prospect Artyom Levshunov from the Rockford IceHogs on Monday to practice with the team during the AHL’s All-Star break.

“So happy,” he told reporters after practice at Fifth Third Arena. “(I) was really excited. to come here, and, yeah, it’s cool.”

Before practice, Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement, “We felt this would be a good opportunity for Arty’s development to come and get some NHL-level practice experience, something he was not able to do during training camp this season due to injury.

“While we don’t expect him to see any game action during his recall, we’re confident the experience will be a positive one for Arty as he continues on his development path.”

Hawks interim coach Anders Sorensen, who was the IceHogs’ head coach earlier this season, said, “The biggest thing is just getting him up to get a feel for how it is at the NHL level.

“We have two practices here, so just get him to feel how that it is and what a day like today looks like. Just get a feel for it and take that with him.”

Levshunov immediately noticed the upgrade in competition.

“It feels more, like, faster here, harder, for sure, than (the) AHL,” he said. “It feels (like a) different level here.”

In Rockford, Levshunov ranked second among blue-liners with three goals and 10 assists through 38 games.

He had a goal and an assist against the Chicago Wolves and Milwaukee Admirals, respectively, in the two games prior to his recall.

This is Levshunov’s first chance to show off his size (6-foot-2, 209 pounds) and offensive skill with the big club since the Hawks drafted him No. 2 last summer.

He broke his foot blocking a shot in September while training in Florida, causing him to sit out of development camp and training camp and miss the start of the IceHogs season.

“I was a little frustrated, but I went through it, and now I feel good,” he said. “Just working hard.”

Despite the setback, Levshunov said he has made strides.

“I started playing more faster and harder than in the beginning of my (IceHogs) season,” he said. “But I think I still have more things to improve and to get more faster and better; more confident.”

Sorensen has noticed areas where Levshunov has gotten better, especially “how he’s gapping up on guys.”

“He’s a smooth skater, but it seems like his intensity and decision-making has improved in terms of when he’s under pressure,” he said. “Coming from college to the pro level. If it’s AHL or not, it’s a different pace of the game, and then today was a good step for him today to be up here.”

Levshunov is signed to a three-year, entry-level contract (through 2026-27) with a $975,000 salary cap hit.

He opted to go pro instead of returning to Michigan State for his sophomore season and doesn’t regret it.

“It’s more games than college hockey. … It’s a different level,” Levshunov said. “I like when it’s more games. You play, play, play and work hard. And I think for sure it helps me to grow.”

Meanwhile, fellow defenseman Louis Crevier was placed on injured reserve (concussion protocol) Monday after he sustained a hit to the back of the head during the Hawks’ 5-1 loss to the Panthers on Saturday.

Here are three things we learned at practice:

1. Levshunov’s rushin’ to add more countrymen to the roster. On Jan. 15, the Hawks traded defenseman Isaak Phillips to the Jets to acquire defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin, a friend and workout buddy of Levshunov as well as a fellow native of Belarus.

For Levshunov, the move was a godsend.

He said, “It’s helpful for me to have (somebody) who I can talk to in Russian. It helps me.”

“Yeah, we need some more Russians,” he joked.

Levshunov said it doesn’t just improve life in the locker room.

“It feels more comfortable to me,” he said. “Like, I can have people around who I can talk with in my language, in Russian.

“It helps me outside of hockey, outside the rink and playing hockey.”2. No slacking for Landon Slaggert. The former IceHogs call-up has made the most of his first three games this season with the big club.

Slaggert had two goals in that span and is plus-2, with no negative rating in any of the three games.

Hawks coaches had enough faith in him to give him minutes with Connor Bedard and Ryan Donato.

“He was good all three games” of the road trip, Sorensen said. “He plays the same way. It doesn’t matter who he’s playing with — if it’s up and down your lineup, he gives you the same effort.

“Really positive start for him. He should build off of this and be happy where he’s at but also make progress and keep getting better here.”

3. The Hawks are focusing on forechecking to rediscover their offense. During the three-game road trip, the Hawks were outshot 106-66 and had an offensive zone start percentage of 47.7%.

And one of those games was a blowout win over the Lightning.

During the road trip finale against the Panthers, the Hawks were on the business end of a game of keep-away.

“Part of it is our forecheck,” Sorensen said. “In the third period against Tampa and in the third period against Florida — even though it was kind of lopsided at that point — our forecheck was really good.

“You notice a big difference when we’re doing that. When we do get in on the forecheck and we stick to our structure and we stay connected, we get some zone time. That’s a big part of it. That’s defending on the front of your foot with your forecheck.”