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The Minnesota Wild are locked in on a clear goal this fall: seeing young defenseman Zeev Buium make his mark from day one in the NHL. At 19 years old, Buium isn't just aiming to make the roster — he wants to contribute immediately and help the Wild win.
“I do think that there is an opportunity for me to step in and be a player on the team,” Buium said. “[I want to] help this team win. So yeah, I'm going to do whatever I can to do that,” according to Jessi Pierce of NHL.com.
Buium signed his entry-level contract on April 13 and made his NHL debut just one week later, logging 13:27 of ice time in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights. He played in four games overall and recorded one assist. That brief postseason experience — paired with a summer focused on training — boosted his confidence heading into training camp.
“I'm very, very confident [heading into the season],” Buium said of joining the team. He credits his growth to the playoff minutes and his time with Team USA at the IIHF World Championship, where they captured their first gold medal in 92 years.
Buium also helped the U.S. win gold at the World Juniors in January and was a standout for the University of Denver during its NCAA championship run. In his sophomore season, he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist and NCHC Player of the Year and totaled 48 points in 41 games while averaging more than 27 minutes per night.
Still, Buium points to the Frozen Four semifinal loss — a double-overtime heartbreaker — as a defining moment.
Buium has focused his offseason on gaining strength and explosiveness to handle the NHL's physical demands. He's training in California and plans to return to Minnesota in August to ramp up ahead of the season.
Wild GM Bill Guerin shares the excitement.
“Zeev is a young guy that I think we've all seen what he's been capable of. He's one of those young pieces of talent that we're very excited to see make a push and have an impact on the team.” Guerin said.
Buium, selected 12th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, knows the challenge ahead. With a winning résumé and driven mindset, he's not just chasing a roster spot — he's chasing success.
