Buium hopes for continued success at Xcel Energy Center with Wild

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Zeev Buium is getting used to finding success at Xcel Energy Center.

First, the 18-year-old defenseman won the National Collegiate Hockey Conference title with the University of Denver last March before capturing the NCAA Championship in April.

Now, the No. 12 pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Draft is looking forward to more of the same in the future on the team's home ice.

“Two championships in four games in that building feels pretty good,” Buium said during Wild development camp this week. “It’s a great start I feel like, and hopefully it keeps building up.”

Minnesota traded up in the first round of the draft to select Buium, billed as a highly offensive defenseman with high hockey IQ. The Wild traded their original 13th pick and a 2025 third-round selection to the Philadelphia Flyers to move up and take Buium.

“(Buium’s a) Great kid. Love him. Confident guy,” Wild director of player development Brad Bombardir said. “I think that's what drives him as a player and drives his success. He should be confident. All he's done is win, especially in our building, too, which is kind of nice. Hopefully that continues.

“Everything that people see. Great feet. Good offensive mind for the game. He can create offense from little small areas that sometimes for other players, plays die. He keeps plays alive and drives play that way. He had a heck of a year. For a freshman at that age to do that in college hockey is pretty impressive.”

Buium’s offensive capabilities are among his strongest assets; he led all NCAA defensemen in scoring last season with 50 points (11 goals, 39 assists) in 42 games as a freshman. His 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in 24 conference games ranks second by a defenseman in NCHC history, trailing Scott Perunovich’s 32 in 2019-20.

Buium helped the United States win the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in January, when the 6-foot, 185-pound left shot had five points (three goals, two assists) in seven games.

“When you draft kids, you certainly want them to play to their strengths and play to their gifts," Bombardir said, "because that's the type of player you want them to be and that's what gives them confidence and what allows them to get better and develop.

“He’s still young, too, so he'll continue to develop. But you want to put him in situations where he can use his abilities and skills and that's what we'll definitely do. I know the coaching staff at DU has done a phenomenal job with him. Obviously they do a great job, that coaching staff, and they'll continue to do the same thing.”

Bombardir said Buium’s “actually pretty close, fairly close” to being NHL-ready; Buium will return to Denver for his sophomore season.

“I think this year we'll be on him to continue to play his game offensively with the puck and help create,” Bombardir said. “It's always about defending. Getting down. Defining the details a little bit more. Defending in the defensive zone. About ending plays quicker. About supporting the puck and supporting the guy's partner a little bit better.

“Those are the areas we want to work on with him. Just to help clean that part of his game up. Essentially, if he does that, it will allow him to have the puck more on his stick. That's what we want a player like that to be able to do to have an impact on games.”

Buium says he wants to refine his skills and make sure they're top notch heading into this season.

“The skating, I mean, you can always improve your skating, try to get better,” he said. “That and I think just try to take as much as I can from the coaches. Whatever they think I can do better and help me with, I’ll try to take with me into next year.”

And maybe win another title -- away from St. Paul?

“That’s always the goal,” Buium said. “And eventually hopefully win another title here with the NHL someday too.”