SUMMERLIN, Nev. -- Zeev Buium will make his NHL debut for the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Center on Sunday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN, FDSNNO, SCRIPPS, SN360, SN, TVAS).
The 19-year-old defenseman signed his entry-level contract with the team April 13, three days after his college team, the University of Denver, lost in the NCAA national semifinal.
But after several practices this week, including a spirited one at City National Arena on Saturday, Buium has been deemed ready to step onto the game’s biggest stage.
“I’m very, very excited,” Buium said after the 45-minute practice. “I’m just really thankful for the opportunity. I mean, these guys have built toward this the entire season, so, I just want to go out there and do whatever I can help.”
Minnesota coach John Hynes said he believes Buium can help the Wild (45-30-7) in the best-of-7 series against the Golden Knights (50-22-10), who finished second in the Western Conference and third in the NHL.
“There's a reason why he's here,” Hynes said. “You know, he has played some big moments, obviously you know, not in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and that environment, but I think, when you look, it's a good opportunity for him. He's got some really good attributes. He's a smart player and he's competitive. He's got some good elements to his game.”
Hynes admitted there is an element of rolling the dice with the decision, but in a city that is all about playing the odds, he feels those are in favor of the Wild.
“I think you always are trying to put your team in the best position to win and to give ourselves an opportunity to be able to win a series,” Hynes said. “We think this timing is the right thing for our team.”
Buium, a first-round pick (No. 12) by the Wild in the 2024 NHL Draft, had 48 points (13 goals, 35 assists) in 41 games while averaging 27:03 of ice time per game as a sophomore at Denver. He was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men's hockey player, a First Team All-American, and was selected as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Year and the NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year. He was one of two players to be a unanimous selection to the All-NCHC First Team.
He nearly helped Denver to a third straight NCAA Tournament championship game; it lost to the eventual champion, Western Michigan University, 3-2 in double overtime in the semifinals, a game in which Buium played 51:41.
The defenseman will make his debut for the Wild in the same city in which he was drafted 10 months ago. He says he has been building toward this moment since.
“I feel like I've seen enough to be able to come in and, you know, hopefully make some sort of impact,” he said.
After a few days of practice, his teammates are also confident in the newest addition.
“I think you see a skill set right away,” said defenseman Zach Bogosian, who will be his partner Sunday. “Obviously, the way he handles the puck, the way he skates, the way he thinks the game. I think he has an offensive mind.
“He has the puck on his stick, he's kind of scanning areas, he's looking for plays to develop and that's been something I've seen right away. It's really cool to have him as a part of our group now.”
That was on display about halfway through practice Saturday. Buium made a play along the blue line with his head up, saw forward Kirill Kaprizov flash open to the side of the net and made a pinpoint pass that Kaprizov shot into the net from a tight angle.
Buium’s smile was obvious.
“They make incredible plays, they can score from ridiculous angles,” Buium said. “I mean, it's fun to be out there with guys like that, who make plays like that and score from angles like that. If I can get them the puck in areas for them to succeed, I mean, that that's my goal.”
Perhaps nobody on the Wild can relate to Buium as well as teammate Brock Faber. The 21-year-old defenseman joined the Wild after he finished his junior year with the University of Minnesota and played two regular-season games before being thrown into the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in 2023.
Faber says he played sheltered minutes (14:33 per game) in that series, which lasted six games with the Stars advancing.
He remembers most that his partners throughout the series were supportive, telling him not to worry about making mistakes and picking him up when he did.
Now he wants to do the same for Buium.
“My ‘D’ partner, whoever it was, they were always like, ‘Dude, just keep going. You are good, we are good. We support each other,’” Faber said. “So, just let him play with confidence.”
