Saturday night, the Minnesota Wild (25 points) will play a home game against their Central rival, the Dallas Stars (20 points), in a matchup between two of the best teams, not just within the division (or even the Western Conference), but in the entire NHL. It’s a huge early-season game, that could have major postseason implications.
But if you are a Wild fan, who enjoys hockey and looking to the future, there’s another big game you may want to tune into on Saturday evening. It’s in the college ranks. No, it’s not the University of Minnesota, or any of the other five in-state schools (St. Cloud, Duluth, Mankato, Bemidji, St. Thomas) that compete in division one college hockey. It’s close, though.
About two miles west of the border, in Grand Forks, ND, the No. 10 ranked team in the country, the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Hawks, will play the top team in the nation, and defending National Champion University of Denver Pioneers.
Get to know Minnesota Wild 2024 1st round pick Zeev Buium
There will be a lot of NHL talent on the ice tonight at Ingested Arena. Some of that talent already has a home at the next level. Like 18-year-old Zeev Buium, who was taken No. 12 overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Draft. In game one of this two-game weekend series vs the Hawks, the future Wild defenseman netted his first career collegiate hat trick.
College hockey players who are drafted to the NHL can remain in college, as long as they have eligibility. Once they go pro, they sign with the team that drafted them. As a 17-year-old freshman last season, Buium played a huge role in Denver’s National Championship. He played 43 games, potting 11 goals and assisting on 39 more.
His 50 total points were good for 2nd on the Pioneers, just like his 41 blocks. Denver’s +34 point differential, with Buium on the ice, was a team high. Possibly even more impressive: He only only committed 7 penalties (14 min) all year long.
So, how has Zeev Buium been as a sophomore, after becoming a 1st round draft pick just a few months before the first puck dropped on his 2nd collegiate season? Well, Denver is 11-0 on the season (1-0 in the NCHC).
We could see Buium sooner, not later
That hat trick you watched above, however, those goals were actually Buium’s first three of the season. In 11 games, he’s now a +8, with 13 total points. But while he may not be on the same track statistically, as a sophomore, that hasn’t hurt his future, in the eyes of the Minnesota Wild.
Not only does president of hockey operations Bill Guerin see Zeev Buium as a big part of the Wild’s future, but he reportedly sees that future in a Minnesota sweater coming sooner, rather than later.
According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), we shouldn’t be surprised if the teenage phenom signs his pro deal as soon as the Pioneers’ 2024-25 season ends, which means he could see NHL ice before this regular season is over, depending on how the season plays out for both his current and future teams.
[Zeev Buium] has 10 assists in 11 games for the Pioneers and on Friday had a hat trick against North Dakota. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Wild sign him immediately after his sophomore season ends.
Michael Russo – The Athletic
If you read Zeev Buium’s draft profile, he sounds like a similar player to Jonas Brodin. He isn’t the fastest or strongest, and he certainly isn’t a huge playmaker. But he’s an incredibly smooth-skating defenseman who seems to think one step ahead of his opponents, and the moment never seems to big for him, even when playing with athletes much older than he is.
The Minnesota Wild see him as the future of their blue line, right next to Brock Faber. And from the sounds of it, we could see him before the 2024-25 NHL season comes to a close.
