SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defenseman Zeev Buium (pronounced Zee-v Boo-y-YUM) to a three-year, entry-level contract starting this season.
Buium, 19 (12/7/05), collected 48 points (13-35=48), four game-winning goals, 44 penalty minutes (PIM) and averaged 27:03 in time-on-ice per game (TOI/G) in 41 games during his sophomore season with the University of Denver. The 6-foot, 186-pound native of Laguna Niguel, Calif., led NCAA defensemen in scoring (T-11th in the NCAA), ranked second among all NCAA players in assists and third in TOI/G. Buium registered multiple points 13 times and recorded a point in 30 games this season. He was named a Finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, a First Team All-American, was selected as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Year, and the NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year, and was one of two players to be a unanimous selection to the All-NCHC First Team. Buium was also named the NCHC Defenseman of the Week three times this season (Nov. 18, Jan. 13 and Feb. 3).
The left-shot defensemen tallied six points (2-4=6), 11 shots on goals and a plus-10 rating in seven games to help the United States win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Buium served as an alternate captain and tallied the primary assist on the game-winning goal in Team USA’s 4-3 overtime win vs. Sweden in the gold medal game. He ranked second in the tournament in TOI/G (25:13) and T-2nd in plus/minus rating.
Buium recorded 50 points (11-39=50), 20 PIM and 41 blocked shots in 42 games as the second-youngest player in college hockey in 2023-24. He led NCAA defensemen in scoring, ranked third in the NCAA in assists (first among defensemen) and T-4th in the NCAA with a plus-33 rating. Buium helped the Pioneers win the 2024 NCAA National Championship played at Xcel Energy Center. His 50-point season was the first by an NCAA freshman defenseman in over 20 years. Buium was named to the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) First Team, the NCAA First All-American Team, the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team and was a Hobey Baker Award Nominee. He was also named the NCHC Rookie of the Year, the NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year, named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team, the NCHC First All-Star Team and the NCHC All-Tournament Team.
Buium won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, tallying five points (3-2=5) and tournament best plus-11 rating in seven games, including a goal in the gold-medal game. His goal total was the most by a defenseman in the tournament. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, recording six points (1-5=6) in seven games. Buium led team defensemen with 40 points (5-35=40) in 63 games for the United States National Team Development Program in 2022-23 and participated in the 2023 Biosteel All-American Game. He tallied 13 points (4-9=13) in 49 games with the U.S. Under-17 Team in 2021-22. Buium also totaled 49 points (8-41=49) in 99 games in two seasons at Shattuck-St. Mary’s (2019-21).
The Wild selected Buium with the 12th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. He will wear sweater No. 8 with Minnesota.
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