Background
Zeev Buium is a 6-foot, 183-pound left-handed defender. He is coming off a very successful freshman season with the University of Denver, where he put up 50 points (11-39) in 42 games. He also picked up an assist in the National Championship game to help ice the game, bringing the Pioneers their 10th national title in program history. His play this past season really helped his draft stock, as as he entered the season, he was projected to go from the from the late first round to the early second round. Now most scouts have him going early to midway through the first round.
Positive scouting report.
Looking at the Buium game, there is a lot to like, and he could be one of the more well-rounded players in this draft class. He doesn’t have the flashiest style of play but displays high hockey IQ on both sides of the puck. He is one of the more offensively gifted defenders in this draft class, as shown by his stats this past season. Where he really shines is his smooth skating ability, which helps him find open space and carry the play, as well as create space in the defensive zone to slow the play down and get the puck out of danger. Some scouts have him as one of the top skaters in the draft and will definitely have a lot of teams hoping he’s still on the board when it comes time to pick. One of the more underrated parts of his game is his shot, which strikes the perfect balance of power and accuracy. When the puck comes off his stick, it goes to the back of the net, setting up a great rebound opportunity. Any team looking for an offensive defenseman should be taking a long look at Buium.
Negative Scouting Report
Some of the flaws in the Buium game will easily be fixed once he gets around NHL training staffs and continues to grow. He does lack a certain physicality in his game, which is common considering how he leans more towards the offensive defenseman style of play. With that in mind, he also tends to lose a lot of puck battles, which is something he will need to improve on if he wants to be a top defender in this league.
Final Thoughts
Zeev Buium has played himself into a fantastic spot heading into this year's draft; he could easily go in the in the top 10 and could be a huge part of his future team's d-core. One more year in Denver to try and work on his physical game and put on some more weight will really benefit Buium, or he may even make the jump to pro and play in the AHL for a season. As for the Hawks, he wouldn’t be an option for them at 2, but if, for some crazy reason, he drops to 18 and Kyle Davidson goes with Demidov at 2, Buium would be a steal at 18.
Prospect Spotlight Series Cayden Lindstorm Anton Silayev
May 28th Zeev Buium
June 3rd Konsta Helenius
June 10th Ivan Demidov
June 17th Artyom Levshunov
June 24 Final Draft Thoughts
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