Zeev Buium – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Zeev Buium

2023-24 Team: University of Denver (NCAA)
Date of Birth: Dec 7, 2005
Place of Birth: Laguna Niguel, CA, USA
Height: 6 feet, Weight: 183 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: D

Rankings

While he may not be the top defender heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Zeev Buium is a player many fans should learn the name of. He is a smooth-skating defender with strong skills at both ends of the ice and has an extremely high IQ. He has maintained over a point-per-game average in the NCAA with the University of Denver this season and has established himself as a first-round lock heading into the upcoming draft.

There is no real consensus as to who will be picked where after Macklin Celebrini almost surely goes first overall, leaving Buium’s fate up in the air as to where he could truly be drafted. He might be the most well-rounded defender in this upcoming draft class considering his IQ at both ends of the ice and could be someone a team takes a gamble on as he seems to only be getting better as the days go by. While he doesn’t play a flashy style of game, he is still able to be evasive on the rush and create chances for himself and his teammates.

Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide

His smooth skating is something that should get the attention of plenty of NHL teams, and he could be considered one of the strongest skaters in the draft class. He can find open space with his speed and ability to move laterally while moving up the ice, and his speed with the puck on his stick is simply phenomenal. His production offensively may draw some worries from fans who could believe he is too one-sided, but that just isn’t the case. He is just as strong offensively as he is in his own end. For reference, Buium is producing at a 1.22 points-per-game pace, which is the highest for a defenceman in NCAA history.

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As crazy as it sounds, Buium could go as high as second overall in the 2024 draft. It’s unlikely, but his skill set and his production levels are simply out of this world. I would consider him underappreciated and underrated heading into the draft and if he slips out of the top 10, he would be a steal for any team that ends up bringing him in. His shot isn’t talked about a lot but when he chooses to use it, it is accurate and powerful; it can either find the back of the net or cause havoc in front of the net by generating a rebound.

Zeev Buium – NHL Draft Projection

There is not a lot of consensus between mock drafts…