The Minnesota Wild have been impatiently waiting for their top defenseman to complete his NCAA career, and the moment has finally arrived. Following the University of Denver’s exit from the Frozen Four, defenseman Zeev Buium is signing his entry-level contract and is expected to make his NHL debut before the regular season ends.
The Wild are adding one of the best defensive prospects outside of the NHL and they hope he can help the team on a long playoff run. The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith were the first to report the signing.
Buium is 19 years old, but he plays like a veteran of 19 years in the league. He was a Hobey Baker finalist this past season after recording 48 points as a sophomore. In his team’s double overtime loss to the eventual national champions, Western Michigan, Buium logged over 50 minutes of ice time. He nearly dragged the Pioneers back to the finals single-handedly.
As a freshman, he hit the 50-point mark and was crucial in Denver’s national title run. He also was the top defender for the United States in back-to-back gold medal runs in the World Junior Championships. The kid can play in all situations and already possesses a reputation for winning.
It’s the exact type of player the Wild need moving forward. Their defense is already solid, led by second-year defender Brock Faber. Bringing in the left-handed Buium is the perfect complement. Faber is an elite athlete and thrives with the puck on his stick. Buium is just as dynamic a puck handler and distributor, giving the Wild a one-two punch on the blue line that can create huge matchup issues for opponents.
It will be interesting to see how the Wild use Buium early on. They still need to clinch their playoff spot, but have a clear path to the 2025 postseason. Will they give him a long leash in his NHL debut or will be slowly mixed into the fold in the Wild’s final regular season game?
