Zeev Buium
Zeev Buium is an Israeli–American professional ice hockey player who is a defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. He was drafted 12th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut with Minnesota in 2025, and was traded to Vancouver later that year.
Playing career
Junior
Buium played two seasons for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program of the United States Hockey League. During the 2021–22 season, he recorded four goals and nine assists in 49 games for the under-17 team, and two goals and three assists in 32 USHL games. During the 2022–23 season, he led all team defensemen with 40 points in 63 total games for the under-18 team, and two goals and ten assists in 23 USHL games.College
Buium began his collegiate career for the Denver Pioneers during the 2023–24 season. He was the second-youngest player in NCAA Division I hockey during his freshman year. He was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Month and the HCA National Co-Player of the Month for November 2023. He became the first freshman defenseman to ever win NCHC Player of the Month. He led all NCHC players in points, points-per-game, assists and plus/minus during the month. With three assists in a game against Western Michigan on December 9, 2023, he extended his scoring streak to 12 games, surpassing Lane Hutson's record for the longest point streak by a freshman defenseman in the last 21 years. He was named the NCHC Rookie of the Month for December 2023. During the month he recorded one goal and six assists in four games. His 1.75 points per game was tied for the most in the NCHC during the month, and his seven points led all league freshmen and defensemen in scoring in that time. Buium led all NCHC freshmen and NCHC defensemen and ranked second behind Jackson Blake with 31 points in 24 conference games, the second-most points ever in NCHC play by a defenseman, trailing only Scott Perunovich's 32 points during the 2019–20 season. His 25 assists in conference play were also second among all skaters and first among defensemen. Following the season he was named to the All-NCHC First Team and All-NCHC Rookie Team. He was also named NCHC Rookie of the Year and NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year.During the 2024–25 season, in his sophomore year, he led all defensemen in scoring with 13 goals and 35 assists in 41 games. On November 15, 2024, in a game against North Dakota, he scored his first career hat-trick. This was the 12th hat-trick by a Denver defenseman in program history and the first since Ryan Caldwell on February 14, 2004, against Minnesota State. During conference play he led all defensemen in scoring with eight goals and 20 assists. Following the season he was named to the All-NCHC First Team and NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year for the second consecutive year. He was also named the NCHC Player of the Year and a Hobey Hat Trick finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
Professional
On April 13, 2025, Buium signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. He made his NHL debut for the Wild on April 19, during the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights. He became the first Wild player ever to debut during the postseason. During the 2025–26 season, in his first NHL season, Buium recorded three goals and 11 assists in 31 games for the Wild. Buium's tenure in Minnesota was brief, however, as he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on December 12. He was part of a package including Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, and a 2026 first-round pick, in exchange for defenseman Quinn Hughes.International play
Buium represented the United States at the 2023 World U18 Championships where he recorded one goal and five assists in seven games and won a gold medal.On December 16, 2023, Buium was named to the United States junior team to compete at the 2024 World Junior Championships. He recorded three goals and two assists in seven games and won a gold medal. He again represented the United States at the 2025 World Junior Championships where he recorded two goals and four assists in seven games and won a gold medal. He helped the United States win back-to-back gold medals at the World Junior Championships for the first time in history.
Buium made his senior national team debut for the United States at the 2025 World Championship, where he recorded one goal and three assists in eight games and helped the United States win their first gold medal since 1933.