Prospect Info: 12th Overall 2024 Draft, LHD Zeev Buium

[Dr Jan Itor]

Seems to be implied since that’s how I took it and how another poster took it. But you do you.

You got me. I was not much counting the 2-3 games at the end of the 2024-25 season in my excitement.

 

[AKL]

on a quick decision like this billy has to trust his gut. IF there were 2 D available when philly was picking do you stick & pick?

I would have if it was both Dickinson and Buium, can't really go wrong with either imo

 

[Prior]

Off the top of the head, pick the top 10-20 defensemen in hockey right now. Doesn’t seem like Canadian Junior players dominate that list but they do during drafts. I don’t think the defenders that went before Buium could do what he just did in the NCAA.

 

[Wabit]

Off the top of the head, pick the top 10-20 defensemen in hockey right now. Doesn’t seem like Canadian Junior players dominate that list but they do during drafts. I don’t think the defenders that went before Buium could do what he just did in the NCAA.

As a counter point. Canadian Jrs have a lot of quantity and it is easily scouted. These kids are being seen a year or two by scouts on the regular before they are draft eligible. This is simply due to the fact that the scouts are there to see the draft eligible players they want to look at. The CHL also plays a lot of games compared to the other leagues. It's just easier for them to get on to noticed than it is for a kid out in BFE Russia.

 

[Prior]

As a counter point. Canadian Jrs have a lot of quantity and it is easily scouted. These kids are being seen a year or two by scouts on the regular before they are draft eligible. This is simply due to the fact that the scouts are there to see the draft eligible players they want to look at. The CHL also plays a lot of games compared to the other leagues. It's just easier for them to get on to noticed than it is for a kid out in BFE Russia.

Understand. I do think for defensemen it’s questionable if the CHL model helps them develop. Dominating teenagers and your age group is a far cry from challenging yourself in men’s leagues to prepare for what will happen at the next level on a shift by shift basis. For Dickenson and the kid who went to Calgary, what is another year (or two) in the CHL going to do to grow their game based on where they are today?

 

[Wabit]

Understand. I do think for defensemen it’s questionable if the CHL model helps them develop. Dominating teenagers and your age group is a far cry from challenging yourself in men’s leagues to prepare for what will happen at the next level on a shift by shift basis. For Dickenson and the kid who went to Calgary, what is another year (or two) in the CHL going to do to grow their game based on where they are today?

Preaching to the choir with my opinions about the CHL and 18yo+ players. I still think it's the best pre-draft age league there is. It's even good for the majority (90%-95%) of the 18yo+ players. Most aren't going to play hockey except for beer league after they age out of the CHL.

It's the 5%-10% of the players that are too good for the league but are stuck there because they aren't NHL good. They end up stagnating. It's like they went to school, passed the class, and now they have to retake the same class again 2 more times before they can move on.

 

[Prior]

Preaching to the choir with my opinions about the CHL and 18yo+ players. I still think it's the best pre-draft age league there is. It's even good for the majority (90%-95%) of the 18yo+ players. Most aren't going to play hockey except for beer league after they age out of the CHL.

It's the 5%-10% of the players that are too good for the league but are stuck there because they aren't NHL good. They end up stagnating. It's like they went to school, passed the class, and now they have to retake the same class again 2 more times before they can move on.

For forwards who are going to need to score, I think there is something to be said for skill training and gaining confidence that CHL can help nurture. Defensemen and what they need to be able to do at the NHL level is a different story.

 

[MNRube]

I’m grateful to them, but Philly could look really dumb in a year or two if their gamble on Luchanko doesn’t pan out. I thought they should’ve tried to move up and snag Silayev. Good fit next to Drysdale and easy sell to get him over with Michkov coming

 

[57special]

I’m grateful to them, but Philly could look really dumb in a year or two if their gamble on Luchanko doesn’t pan out. I thought they should’ve tried to move up and snag Silayev. Good fit next to Drysdale and easy sell to get him over with Michkov coming

Maybe, but Luchanko is vg prospect. He could be this year's Seth Jarvis.

Briere did seem to have a deer in headlights look when it came to PHI's turn to pick. I wonder if they simply hadn't gameplanned a scenario where Buium would be available, and made a kneejerk reaction to not wanting a college kid after the Gauthier(he and Buium share the same agent) fiasco.

 

[Wasted Talent]

Don't get use to it. We'll be bitching about things come Monday.

Why'd you have to be so right?

 

[ref19]

Why'd you have to be so right?

No reason to bitch tho

 

[Sweetnut]

2025-26 is going to be pretty fun with both Yurov and Buium dropped into the NHL lineup.

I'm not convinced we'll ever see Yurov in NA. Who knows what excuses he will come up with the next time?

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I'm not convinced we'll ever see Yurov in NA. Who knows what excuses he will come up with the next time?

Yurov not coming is about as likely as Buium staying four years in college.

 

[57special]

Is there a chance this guy makes the team in camp?

 

[MuckOG]

Is there a chance this guy makes the team in camp?

There's always a chance, but I wouldn't wager any money on it.

 

[57special]

I guess I'll be the counterpoint to the enthusiasm. I do like the player and the value of the pick. But I will keep my eyes on the 3rd and Luchanko (and Helenius, my preference). Buium has upside, for sure, but he certainly didn't pop for me like Quinn or Luke Hughes did, as a guy with can't-miss elite skill. Buium looked good, but there's a bit of carelessness in his game, along with average physicality. When you talk about a defenseman with top-four potential, that also includes Cup finalists such as Brandon Montour or Cody Ceci. The Wild are still a long way away from a competitive blueline.

Just imagining Billy G on the phone with Briere: "who are you guys thinking?" "why, who do you like?" "Buium." "Oh, that's our guy too." "Dangit, how about a fourth to swap?" "Make it a third." "Done."

Man, he sure popped to me. His on ice skill and vision were obvious, and the point totals dwarfed anything the others did in their draft years. Luke didn't even play college, and Quinn had 29 points to Buium's 50. Neither Hughes brother is particularly physical, but the 5'10", slightly built Quinn, especially, is far less so than Buium, who is a solid 6'. It's not like either Hughes was a defensive specialist, either.

The only thing that the Hughes have over Buium is better, or at least faster, skating. Buium is a very good skater, but just has decent speed. In just about all other facets of the game he is the equal, or better of the Hughes bros.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Is there a chance this guy makes the team in camp?

If they pull him out of Denver, sure, but don't think they're going to.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Man, he sure popped to me. His on ice skill and vision were obvious, and the point totals dwarfed anything the others did in their draft years. Luke didn't even play college, and Quinn had 29 points to Buium's 50. Neither Hughes brother is particularly physical, but the 5'10", slightly built Quinn, especially, is far less so than Buium, who is a solid 6'. It's not like either Hughes was a defensive specialist, either.

The only thing that the Hughes have over Buium is better, or at least faster, skating. Buium is a very good skater, but just has decent speed. In just about all other facets of the game he is the equal, or better of the Hughes bros.

Luke had two seasons at Michigan.

Not too concerned with point totals, and really I was just making the counterpoint case to make it. I think the upside is very high with Buium. As a college hockey fan I hope he's back at Denver, always fun to watch players improve in their post-draft year. Watched a few Pioneers game with an eye on Lorentz, but having Buium to focus on will be a pleasure.

 

[57special]

Luke had two seasons at Michigan.

Not too concerned with point totals, and really I was just making the counterpoint case to make it. I think the upside is very high with Buium. As a college hockey fan I hope he's back at Denver, always fun to watch players improve in their post-draft year. Watched a few Pioneers game with an eye on Lorentz, but having Buium to focus on will be a pleasure.

I meant he didn't play in the NCAA pre-draft, unlike his brother and Zeev.

I've been sort of in your camp at times, picking apart Buium's game, but I do think we might've gotten a Boldy like steal with him at 12.

 

[keppel146]

Is there a chance this guy makes the team in camp?

I want him to play another year in college and then jump straight to the Wild. I’d be very happy with that. He turns 19 in December which is wow.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Is there a chance this guy makes the team in camp?

Will he even be at training camp? Wouldn’t that require signing his ELC, foregoing any NCAA eligibility left?

 

[Wabit]

Will he even be at training camp? Wouldn’t that require signing his ELC, foregoing any NCAA eligibility left?

Technically he could be an invite (something along the lines of an ATO) at training camp without signing his ELC.

But why would he do that when the college is in the middle of the semester? He'd have to pay for a lot of things out of pocket too.

I know colleges are lenient with student athletes, but there isn't any real incentive for the school in this case. At least with the U20s schools get a lot of name drops during the coverage and there is a much larger audience.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Will he even be at training camp? Wouldn’t that require signing his ELC, foregoing any NCAA eligibility left?

I believe that is the case.

 

[puck swami]

I watched every game Buium played at Denver, and I've been watching Denver for over 40 years. Buium is probably the second best Denver defensemen in terms of hockey skill that I've ever seen at DU, behind only Craig Redmond, who put up 54 WCHA points on a middling DU team as a 16-17 year old in 1982-83 and went 6th overall to the LA Kings in the 1984 Draft. But Redmond had an attitude problem that capped his NHL career quite early at 191 games or so.

Buium has no such attitude problem - yes, he's skilled, but it is his hockey smarts and coachability that has the scouts impressed - he is a sponge and his decision-making has improved so much in his first Denver season. He sees the game at least 1 move ahead - he's not just read/react like most players. He's now able to actually control the game - very rare for a freshman in NCAA Hockey, as was his 50-point production in 42 games - those are NCAA freshman numbers better than Leetch, Fox or Makar at age 17-18. He is so versatile that you want to send him out as much as you can -- he can play either side, he can kill penalties, run a power play and eat 28-29 minutes a night, often double-shifting, always playing against the top players on the other team. He led the NCAA in plus/minus as well as the entire World Juniors in plus/minus. He takes real pride in his defensive improvement, and you saw what he did in the NCAA championship game, shutting down first rounders like Ryan Leonard, Will Smith and Gabe Perrault and setting up the dagger goal in Denver's win over BC. He was the best player on the ice when it mattered most.

Skill-wise and smarts-wise, he is NHL ready now. But a another year of college will put another 10 lbs. of muscle on him so that he walks into the NHL next April at 195 lbs, and his confidence level should be sky high as he may well develop into a dominant, top 3 Hobey Baker Award threat as a college sophomore next season, learning to be an on-ice leader at the World Juniors and for an excellent Denver program. He will also need to learn how to be a bit more physical as he grows into in 18-19 year old adult body, and he can also use a bit more foot speed and NHL level edgework to add to his skating elusiveness.

 

[Waiver Draft]

Long road: How a 112-mile drive to play hockey every day in California led Zeev Buium to the Wild

Zeev Buium and his two brothers spent hours upon hours riding with their mother from San Diego to hockey practice in El Segundo, Calif.

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