Minnesota Wild prime prospect Zeev Buium’s faculty profession has come to an finish with the College of Denver star defenseman signing a three-year, $2.925 million entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
Buium, 19, who was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as faculty hockey’s prime participant, is coming off a dominant season. A dynamic skater and offensive participant, he adopted up a 50-point freshman marketing campaign with 48 factors as a sophomore and feels he improved his all-around defensive recreation. He’s additionally a confirmed winner, having gained back-to-back World Juniors gold medals and a nationwide championship with Denver final season.
Buium’s 98 factors as an under-20 defenseman enjoying faculty hockey are probably the most in 45 years, topping the likes of Lane Hutson and Luke Hughes. This season, he gained the NCHC Participant of the Yr award, was named Offensive Defenseman of the Yr and was a first-team All-American. He led NCAA defensemen in scoring and ranked second amongst all NCAA gamers in assists.
“Zeev is a hell of a hockey participant,” Pioneers coach David Carle mentioned. “Didn’t are available in as a projected first-round decide however actually acquired a possibility, confirmed his stuff, confirmed who he can actually be and flourished at our program. I’m so completely happy for him, happy with him, with every part he was in a position to accomplish.”
Zeev Buium heading to Minnesota tomorrow. Think about #mnwild will see him Monday at observe. “I can’t wait to placed on that jersey.” pic.twitter.com/QR0BurUcAi
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) April 11, 2025
Buium, the twelfth decide within the 2024 NHL draft, is aware of will probably be a problem to transition to the NHL however is able to embrace it.
“I feel you’re seeing extra faculty guys moving into the NHL and making an impression straight away,” Buium said. “It’s not simple to do. I hope I could make that very same impression. I consider that in myself that I can. You by no means know.”
Buium’s contract begins instantly at a prorated wage for the remainder of the common season, which means similar to when the Wild signed Brock Faber after the 2023 Frozen 4, the staff is burning the primary yr of his contract.
The 2024 first-round decide will earn $975,000 per season ($877,500 salaries plus $97,500 annual signing bonuses) when he’s within the NHL and has an opportunity to earn max “A” bonuses for defensemen in 2025-26 and 2026-27. He can earn $250,000 for every bonus as much as a most of $1 million if he achieves 4 of the next every season: 10 targets, 25 assists, 40 factors, top-four in whole or common ice time amongst defensemen (minimal 42 video games), top-three in plus-minus amongst defensemen (minimal 42 video games), 0.49 factors per recreation (minimal 42 video games), top-two in blocked pictures amongst defensemen, making the all-rookie staff, being an all-star choice, or being the all-star recreation MVP.
The Wild additionally added in a $25,000 “B” bonus this season if he wins the Conn Smythe Trophy, a mechanism that will permit him to max out his “A” bonuses subsequent yr. He additionally receives a $25,000 video games performed bonus this season at 5 common season and playoff video games.
Due to Friday evening’s Hobey Baker presentation, quite than having Buium depart St. Louis on Saturday morning, connecting in Minneapolis or Denver and arriving in Vancouver within the afternoon for Saturday evening’s recreation, Buium flew to Minnesota on Saturday. This additionally gave Buium an opportunity to relaxation for just a few days after enjoying greater than 51 minutes in Denver’s NCAA semifinal loss to Western Michigan.
The California native will meet the staff for Monday’s observe upfront of maybe making his NHL debut within the regular-season finale on Tuesday in opposition to the Anaheim Geese. Buium will put on No. 8.
Why signal now?
When Buium was drafted by the Wild in June, he mentioned it was a no brainer choice to return for his sophomore season at Denver. He and Minnesota felt like it could be good for his improvement. And Buium was decided to steer the Pioneers to a back-to-back nationwide title. That aspiration ended Thursday evening when Western Michigan beat the Pioneers in double time beyond regulation within the semifinal.
However with how Buium carried out — David Carle mentioned he dealt with all the eye and highlight in a mature approach — he felt comfy transferring on to his dream. Having already gained a nationwide title in faculty helped make the choice a little bit simpler.
How will he match now?
That’s the million greenback query.
Whereas Buium is available in extremely touted, the Wild haven’t clinched a playoff spot but, though they’re very shut after Saturday evening’s come-from-behind victory in Vancouver.
Within the playoffs, we’ll see if Buium begins within the lineup straight away. Coach John Hynes has appreciated — and trusted — his third pair of Jon Merrill and Zach Bogosian, so he’d should resolve whether or not to place the rookie into high-leverage moments straight away. Faber warned just lately that the transition off the ice can be challenging.
It’ll be fascinating to see what occurs as a result of the Wild are banged up on the blue line. Jake Middleton has missed 4 video games in a row with an upper-body damage however has been skating. Captain Jared Spurgeon missed Saturday’s recreation as a result of Hynes mentioned he “was not feeling nice” after taking a puck to the throat space Friday in Calgary. And Declan Chisholm didn’t play a lot of the second interval Saturday evening after his head hit the glass following a test from Vancouver’s Marcus Pettersson. He returned within the third interval, however the Wild must gauge how he’s feeling within the coming days.
NHL scouts consider Buium can bounce proper in and run an influence play, and that must be attractive for a Minnesota staff that might use a lift in that space. Buium can play large minutes — he performed 51:41 in Thursday’s semifinal and averaged 27:03 a recreation this season, third most in faculty hockey. However as he additionally confirmed within the semifinal, Buium could be dangerous with the puck. He turned the puck over a number of occasions, together with for shorthanded breakaways. The Wild must contemplate that when deciding whether or not to make use of {the teenager} in high-leverage video games.
So this will not be like Faber two years in the past the place Buium is straight away thrown right into a playoff sequence. Nonetheless, he can have an opportunity to observe Monday, maybe play the ultimate regular-season recreation and observe with the staff upfront of and throughout the postseason — assuming the Wild make it.
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(Picture: Bruce Bennett / Getty Pictures)
