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Zeev Buium
Israeli-American ice hockey player (born 2005) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Zeev Buium (born December 7, 2005) is an Israeli-American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 12th overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft.[1]
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Playing career
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Junior
Buium played two seasons for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. 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.[2]
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.[3] He was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) 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.[4] He led all NCHC players in points (14), points-per-game (1.75), assists (11) and plus/minus (+13) during the month.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] He was also named NCHC Rookie of the Year and NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year.[9]
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.[10] 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.[11][12]
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International play
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Buium represented the United States at the 2023 IIHF World U18 Championships where he recorded one goal and five assists in seven games and won a gold medal.[13][14]
On December 16, 2023, Buium was named to the United States men's national junior ice hockey team to compete at the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[15][16] He recorded three goals and two assists in seven games and won a gold medal.[17][18] He again represented the United States at the 2025 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where he recorded two goals and four assists in seven games and won a gold medal.[19] He helped team USA win back-to-back gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time in history.[20]
Buium made his senior national team debut for the United States at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded one goal and three assists in eight games and helped Team USA win their first gold medal since 1933.[21]
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Personal life
Buium was born to Israeli immigrants Sorin and Miriam Buium, and he is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel.[22] His mother, Miriam, played professional basketball in Israel before an injury ended her playing career and she transitioned to a general manager.[23][24] Buium's older brother, Shai, also played college ice hockey at Denver and was drafted 36th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2021 NHL entry draft.[25] Buium has a tattoo on his left forearm commemorating the dates he won two gold medals and an NCAA title in Hebrew.[26]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
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Awards and honors
References
External links
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