LD Zeev Buium - University of Denver, NCAA (2024, 12th, MIN)

[thedjpd]

Nah it's really not that hard to justify lol. A lot of people would have had him as their top d going into the draft and him falling to 12th shouldn't change that opinion. And if it does, then your opinion was fickle to begin with.

I'll be shocked if Drysdale becomes a top tier nhler at this point. Weird talking about a guy and what he was considered during his draft when we are 4 years past that. A lot can change in 4 years and it clearly has for Drysdale. Would you still talk so highly of Kakko?

That’s a really my point. Everybody is a superstar on here at 18. A lot happens in 4 years so calling Buium a top of the lineup player yet is premature.

 

[57special]

I really liked Drysdale in his draft year. Great skater- better than Buium- and a good defender, probably better than Zeev also. VG offensive player, but Buium is better there. Buium playing in college, a higher level than the CHL, also gives him and edge, and while Buium is only an inch or so taller he might end up being more sturdy.

Basically, a lot has gone wrong for Drysdale so far in the NHL, even though he has shown flashes of high end talent. It hasn't helped that ANA (IMO), rushed him to the NHL before he was strong enough to withstand the league. If he fully heals, and is in a positive environment that allows him to rebuild his confidence, he should be a top 4 dman at a minimum for a long time.

He is a RHD, though, and Buium is a LHD. Buium might not be "big", but he is going to be at least 6'- 6'1" tall, and probably end up about 195-200. He also seems to be one of those guys that looks very solid on his skates. I don't think that PHI is one of those teams that is so talent laden on the back end that they couldn't have used him, but Luchanko was definitely a riser in this draft. He has a lot of the qualities that make Jarvis so good for CAR... great skater, very smart, maybe not quite as skilled, but a better two way player.


To sum up, I thought it was a bit weird that Buium fell to PHI and they didn't just take him, BUT, I really liked Luchanko, and was hoping for him or Helenius at #13 for the Wild. Buium seems to have much more star power, and higher ceiling... the guy did freakish things offensively in a better league than Luchanko did in his. I haven't followed York much since he was drafted, but is he really that good that you don't take Buium?

 

[Boxscore]

I haven't followed York much since he was drafted, but is he really that good that you don't take Buium?

No.

 

[mphmiles]

I would not be so sure that Buium will be better than Drysdale. Drysdale drafted way earlier and has done well other than the injuries.

Eh, Drysdale might come good, and he put up some points as a rookie, but his on ice results have been pretty dreadful ever since he came in the league.

No comment on Buium’s future, but Drysdale is a pretty low bar.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Eh, Drysdale might come good, and he put up some points as a rookie, but his on ice results have been pretty dreadful ever since he came in the league.

No comment on Buium’s future, but Drysdale is a pretty low bar.

By on ice results you mean advanced stats on one of the worst teams in the league being forced to play over his head?

If you put it into context he's done an acceptable job.

 

[mphmiles]

By on ice results you mean advanced stats on one of the worst teams in the league being forced to play over his head?

If you put it into context he's done an acceptable job.

I mean his advanced stats have been worse than other members of the same bad teams.

 

[DatDude44]

Drydales issues are more durability related than ability. Especially as a D at young ages it makes it even harder to settle in and find consistency at the NHL level. Not shocked at all his advanced metrics look bad….. but I wouldn’t use those numbers yet to judge him long term.



Luv Zeev, he was my fave D in the draft, took him 8th overall in my league. I do however understand why Dickinson, lev and Silayev went above given how safe their floors are and style of play/physical traits translating easier. Buium and Parekh are certainly the boom or bust candidates. Yakemchuk was the only head scratcher for me given how raw and far from a finished product he is for a top 7 pick

 

[57special]

Drydales issues are more durability related than ability. Especially as a D at young ages it makes it even harder to settle in and find consistency at the NHL level. Not shocked at all his advanced metrics look bad….. but I wouldn’t use those numbers yet to judge him long term.



Luv Zeev, he was my fave D in the draft, took him 8th overall in my league. I do however understand why Dickinson, lev and Silayev went above given how safe their floors are and style of play/physical traits translating easier. Buium and Parekh are certainly the boom or bust candidates. Yakemchuk was the only head scratcher for me given how raw and far from a finished product he is for a top 7 pick

I don't see Buium as being that much of a boom/bust. Parekh, I agree with.

 

[DatDude44]

I don't see Buium as being that much of a boom/bust. Parekh, I agree with.

I guess I could’ve worded it differently in buiums case. Disappointment relative to expectations rather than bust is what I should’ve said. Personally I don’t think he’ll bust or be a disappointment at all but in terms of his unique style of play mixed with very average size,(maybe a bit below avg for a D?) I can at least see why teams had a concern that he wouldn’t become the #1D all situations type. Versus becoming a 2nd air 3/4….

Personally, I think he will be a stud though. Brain, skill drive and work ethic all seem to check out

 

[Michael Farkas]

As a big fan of Buium, I took a look at his mental and technical progression this season here --



I had him as my clear best defenseman in this draft class, so this video is shorter as I have less to complain about than usual haha

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Drysdale doesn't know how to play effective defense: with his stick, positioning, or his body.

Buium knows how to defend. Simple

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I really liked Drysdale in his draft year. Great skater- better than Buium- and a good defender, probably better than Zeev also. VG offensive player, but Buium is better there. Buium playing in college, a higher level than the CHL, also gives him and edge, and while Buium is only an inch or so taller he might end up being more sturdy.

Basically, a lot has gone wrong for Drysdale so far in the NHL, even though he has shown flashes of high end talent. It hasn't helped that ANA (IMO), rushed him to the NHL before he was strong enough to withstand the league. If he fully heals, and is in a positive environment that allows him to rebuild his confidence, he should be a top 4 dman at a minimum for a long time.

He is a RHD, though, and Buium is a LHD. Buium might not be "big", but he is going to be at least 6'- 6'1" tall, and probably end up about 195-200. He also seems to be one of those guys that looks very solid on his skates. I don't think that PHI is one of those teams that is so talent laden on the back end that they couldn't have used him, but Luchanko was definitely a riser in this draft. He has a lot of the qualities that make Jarvis so good for CAR... great skater, very smart, maybe not quite as skilled, but a better two way player.


To sum up, I thought it was a bit weird that Buium fell to PHI and they didn't just take him, BUT, I really liked Luchanko, and was hoping for him or Helenius at #13 for the Wild. Buium seems to have much more star power, and higher ceiling... the guy did freakish things offensively in a better league than Luchanko did in his. I haven't followed York much since he was drafted, but is he really that good that you don't take Buium?

Weird take on Drysdale being rushed as not being strong enough.

D+1
AHL: 14 games, 4g + 6a = 10 pts, and +1 rating. Also won AHL rookie of the month, beating fellow Duck Trevor Zegras.
NHL: 24 games, 3g + 5a = 8 pts, and -12 rating.

D+2
NHL: 81 games, 4g + 28a = 32 pts, and -26 rating. (first full NHL season)

Drysdale was playing in a top pairing role with Hampus Lindholm as his partner. Just for reference, 2022 7th OA pick LD Kevin Korchinski played his D+2 in the NHL: 76 games, 5g + 10a = 15 pts, and -39 rating. Was Drysdale rushed if he played 81 games in his D+2 season?

D+3
NHL: 8 games, 0g + 0a = 0 pts, and -3 rating
Unfortunate injury, torn labrum. Odd thing is that Drysdale came in thicker for his D+3 season, but didn't lose any speed.

D+4
NHL (Ducks): 10 games, 1g + 4a = 5 pts, and -2 rating
NHL (Flyers): 24 games, 2g + 3a = 5 pts, and -18 rating
Drysdale didn't get signed until after missing training camp and all the pre-season games were completed. Got injured and the Ducks' team doctors didn't diagnose his core injury correctly in the first game of the season and GM Verbeek mandated that all his players play through injuries. We didn't discover how badly Drysdale was injured to his core until after the NHL season. Guess the Flyers' doctors also missed out on that injury on the medical check up during the trade.

I think the reason why the Flyers went with F Luchanko than D Buium was the fact they traded F Gauthier for RD Drysdale. The Flyers needed to replenish that lost offensive talent on the forward side and Luchanko fit the bill for them.

 

[thedjpd]

Weird take on Drysdale being rushed as not being strong enough.

D+1
AHL: 14 games, 4g + 6a = 10 pts, and +1 rating. Also won AHL rookie of the month, beating fellow Duck Trevor Zegras.
NHL: 24 games, 3g + 5a = 8 pts, and -12 rating.

D+2
NHL: 81 games, 4g + 28a = 32 pts, and -26 rating. (first full NHL season)

Drysdale was playing in a top pairing role with Hampus Lindholm as his partner. Just for reference, 2022 7th OA pick LD Kevin Korchinski played his D+2 in the NHL: 76 games, 5g + 10a = 15 pts, and -39 rating. Was Drysdale rushed if he played 81 games in his D+2 season?

D+3
NHL: 8 games, 0g + 0a = 0 pts, and -3 rating
Unfortunate injury, torn labrum. Odd thing is that Drysdale came in thicker for his D+3 season, but didn't lose any speed.

D+4
NHL (Ducks): 10 games, 1g + 4a = 5 pts, and -2 rating
NHL (Flyers): 24 games, 2g + 3a = 5 pts, and -18 rating
Drysdale didn't get signed until after missing training camp and all the pre-season games were completed. Got injured and the Ducks' team doctors didn't diagnose his core injury correctly in the first game of the season and GM Verbeek mandated that all his players play through injuries. We didn't discover how badly Drysdale was injured to his core until after the NHL season. Guess the Flyers' doctors also missed out on that injury on the medical check up during the trade.

I think the reason why the Flyers went with F Luchanko than D Buium was the fact they traded F Gauthier for RD Drysdale. The Flyers needed to replenish that lost offensive talent on the forward side and Luchanko fit the bill for them.

Flyers didn’t miss his injury. They knew and suggested Drysdale take the year off to recover, but Drysdale cited that he felt he hadn’t played enough games last 2 years and just wanted to get some game action, so they let him.

He’s had the surgery, is 100% now and training with the team in Philly already. This has been confirmed by both Drysdale and Briere. I think he’ll have a big year if he’s healthy but people who write him off are silly - he’d only played a season and a half worth of games.

Regarding the rest, I think the Flyers wanted Dickinson of the d-men (London OHL) and SJ sniped him. Of all the dmen that fell, I don’t think they thought it would’ve been Buium - nobody did. I do think they wanted Catton, though.

 

[Guadana]

Really silly take.

Drysdale was rated above Buium during his draft year and the first dman taken, and went on to put up 30+ points as an 18 year old in the NHL.

Buium was so highly rated that he was the 6th dman taken in his own draft class. Drysdale has obviously seen his stock drop due to injuries, but that’s really the only reason. It’s not like the talent is gone - he’s barely played 2 seasons worth in 4 years. There’s still plenty to develop.

I get that this is HF and all, but the hype on Buium is getting out of hand - and this comes from a Flyers fan would have preferred they took him. I also get that GMs mess up, but it’s pretty hard to justify he’s the best dman in his class at the moment any way you look at it.

Drysdale was second and his draft year was not about many good defenseman. He wasn't NCAA player, who have reputation of some problem cases with signing.

Buium is better, more dynamic, better defensively and physically than Drysdale was in the draft year. His performance is more impressive for his league on the draft year.

Drysdale was overrated on the draft because he was RD from Canada, there were enough of questions about translation of his game and adaptation, Buium is playing more NHL style game, his decision making is on the higher level.

 

[thedjpd]

Drysdale was second and his draft year was not about many good defenseman. He wasn't NCAA player, who have reputation of some problem cases with signing.

Buium is better, more dynamic, better defensively and physically than Drysdale was in the draft year. His performance is more impressive for his league on the draft year.

Drysdale was overrated on the draft because he was RD from Canada, there were enough of questions about translation of his game and adaptation, Buium is playing more NHL style game, his decision making is on the higher level.

Drysdale was tagged as the only d-man in his draft year with possible #1 upside. Similar to Buium this year. Yet, Buium was still taken last of the d-men this year.

Like I said, GMs aren't infallible, but HF in general assumes prospects reach their peak right as soon as they are drafted, and slightly older players who have more actual NHL time and haven't peaked yet are often filled with revisionist history.

Drysdale was very much hyped 4 years ago; the problem is that his injuries have affected that reputation. Buium has not had that (hopefully he doesn't!) but that's the case I'm making.

I do not know if Buium will be better or worse; that's not my point. Just that at draft or shortly therafter, every top pick has a lot of hype. Most don't even reach that (roughly 30-40%) is my point. No idea if Buium will be better or not; just that they were pegged with similar upside at their drafts.

 

[Guadana]

Drysdale was tagged as the only d-man in his draft year with possible #1 upside. Similar to Buium this year. Yet, Buium was still taken last of the d-men this year.

Like I said, GMs aren't infallible, but HF in general assumes prospects reach their peak right as soon as they are drafted, and slightly older players who have more actual NHL time and haven't peaked yet are often filled with revisionist history.

Drysdale was very much hyped 4 years ago; the problem is that his injuries have affected that reputation. Buium has not had that (hopefully he doesn't!) but that's the case I'm making.

I do not know if Buium will be better or worse; that's not my point. Just that at draft or shortly therafter, every top pick has a lot of hype. Most don't even reach that (roughly 30-40%) is my point. No idea if Buium will be better or not; just that they were pegged with similar upside at their drafts.

You are tellling about hype and positive opinions. I’m telling about skills, iq,results, translatabling of this skills etc. wheeler told that Sanderson wasn’t impressive with limited upside. So I don’t care mostly about “opinions”, I care about details.

 

[thedjpd]

You are tellling about hype and positive opinions. I’m telling about skills, iq,results, translatabling of this skills etc. wheeler told that Sanderson wasn’t impressive with limited upside. So I don’t care mostly about “opinions”, I care about details.

Again - Drysdale was pegged as an elite skater and has elite IQ with excellent passing. Those are very translatable skills and it hasn’t come to fruition at the NHL level.

Hence my point. Every, at least most, high draft picks already have multiple “translatable skills.”

It’s the same reason here why many prospects are rated above productive NHL players. Everybody dreams that all those translatable skills make them elite NHL players; and it just doesn’t sometimes.

Buium has also been tagged an inconsistent on D, can be muscled off the puck, and sometimes makes poor decisions. I don’t think these are valid; I think he’ll be great.

But my point - whether you use opinions or “skills” is the same - prospects are always shiny and new so the imagination runs a bit wild and their absolute ceiling is the expected outcome.

 

[Guadana]

Again - Drysdale was pegged as an elite skater and has elite IQ with excellent passing. Those are very translatable skills and it hasn’t come to fruition at the NHL level.

Hence my point. Every, at least most, high draft picks already have multiple “translatable skills.”

It’s the same reason here why many prospects are rated above productive NHL players. Everybody dreams that all those translatable skills make them elite NHL players; and it just doesn’t sometimes.

Buium has also been tagged an inconsistent on D, can be muscled off the puck, and sometimes makes poor decisions. I don’t think these are valid; I think he’ll be great.

But my point - whether you use opinions or “skills” is the same - prospects are always shiny and new so the imagination runs a bit wild and their absolute ceiling is the expected outcome.

Drysdale was good to very good skater. Sanderson was better skater and still there is a gap between him and elite skaters.
Drysdale wasn’t really fast from the start.
He was good with the puck as passer on the blue line, but he wasn’t as dynamic, as you would except from best playmakers.
He wasnt great puck over, I’m not telling bad, but our case person Buium is more dynamic, with great manipulative moves.
Drysdale wasn’t good in different defensive aspects - game against the cycling, positioning against rushes, one on one battles. he wasn’t physical, wasn’t really successful in puck battles.

I wasn’t a fan of his game on the draft. At least I wasn’t agree with the level of hype. And I see better iq from Buium, I see how he doing his things against much better competition. He isn’t better for me because he is new toy, I’m comparing their pre draft years. Injuries can spoil Buium NHL career too.

 

[Sun God Nika]

i dunno man i feel like this guy one of those prospects that will make some noise but ultimately wont crack the NHL might get some cups of coffee tho.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Drysdale doesn't know how to play effective defense: with his stick, positioning, or his body.

Buium knows how to defend. Simple

I think they’re pretty close defensively. Buium has a sterling reputation with people on a website like this, and Drysdale meanwhile doesn’t. I don’t think NHL teams look at their defense that differently.

 

[thedjpd]

Drysdale was good to very good skater. Sanderson was better skater and still there is a gap between him and elite skaters.
Drysdale wasn’t really fast from the start.
He was good with the puck as passer on the blue line, but he wasn’t as dynamic, as you would except from best playmakers.
He wasnt great puck over, I’m not telling bad, but our case person Buium is more dynamic, with great manipulative moves.
Drysdale wasn’t good in different defensive aspects - game against the cycling, positioning against rushes, one on one battles. he wasn’t physical, wasn’t really successful in puck battles.

I wasn’t a fan of his game on the draft. At least I wasn’t agree with the level of hype. And I see better iq from Buium, I see how he doing his things against much better competition. He isn’t better for me because he is new toy, I’m comparing their pre draft years. Injuries can spoil Buium NHL career too.

I mean, you can have that opinion, but if you go back to their scouting reports, Sanderson was billed as a smooth skater with a good overall game and IQ. And he was bigger physically.

Drysdale was billed as an elite skater with high IQ who was small-ish but made up for it due to skating and passing.

You have your scoring reports a bit backwards IMO.

In their NHL careers, Sanderson has lived up to his billing; Drysdale too injured to really do so.

 

[Rob Brown]

i dunno man i feel like this guy one of those prospects that will make some noise but ultimately wont crack the NHL might get some cups of coffee tho.

What's the reasoning for that?

 

[57special]

Enough of the Drysdale talk. This thread is about Buium.

 

[Guadana]

I mean, you can have that opinion, but if you go back to their scouting reports, Sanderson was billed as a smooth skater with a good overall game and IQ. And he was bigger physically.

Drysdale was billed as an elite skater with high IQ who was small-ish but made up for it due to skating and passing.

You have your scoring reports a bit backwards IMO.

In their NHL careers, Sanderson has lived up to his billing; Drysdale too injured to really do so.

So like we see you are reading wrong scouting reports. I had different opinion in the draft and it doesn't look like I was wrong.

Drysdale wasn't just injury prone. He wasn't effective as defenseman without the puck. His positional game isn't good. And his skating isn't nothing special on nhl level.

 

[Peasy]

What's the reasoning for that?

His team picked Yakemchuk instead