The Minnesota Wild are about to add a game-changing talent to their blue line. Star college defenseman Zeev Buium is set to sign his first NHL contract and join the team’s practice on Monday, just in time for their final playoff push.
Wild GM Bill Guerin broke the news on KFAN-1003, making it clear the young star won’t just be watching from the press box.
“He’ll play,” Guerin said. “These kids are different, man. They’re ready for this stuff.”
And ready he is. Buium has been absolutely crushing it in college hockey, putting up numbers that put him in elite company.
His 1.18 points per game over his college career ranks third-best among defensemen since 2000. Only Lane Hutson and Adam Fox – two of hockey’s most exciting young talents – have done better.
At the University of Denver, Buium wasn’t just good. He was dominant.
In his freshman year, he led all college defensemen with an incredible 50 points in 42 games. Oh, and he helped his team win a national championship while he was at it.
His sophomore season? Just as impressive. Buium racked up 48 points in 41 games and helped Denver reach the Frozen Four, where they fell in a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Western Michigan.
What makes him special isn’t just the numbers. Buium’s got the kind of skills that make scouts drool – smooth skating, incredible puck control, and a knack for creating scoring chances from the blue line.
The timing couldn’t be better for Minnesota. They’re sitting pretty in the Western Conference’s top wild card spot, though they’re not completely safe yet. They’d need an almost impossible combination of losses, plus wins by Calgary and St. Louis, to miss out.
Now they’re adding a player who could give them an extra edge when the games matter most.
For Buium, it’s a chance to show his highlight-reel moves against the world’s best players. And for Wild fans? They might want to buckle up – this kid’s going to be fun to watch.
