Zeev Buium May Be the 2024 NHL Draft's Unheard-Of Top Defenseman
NHL draft expert Tony Ferrari says there may not be a more well-rounded and intelligent defenseman in the 2024 class than NCAA defenseman Zeev Buium.
The University of Denver’s Zeev Buium may be the 2024 NHL draft’s top defenseman.
His early returns against NCAA competition have been incredible. Buium is producing at a rate we haven’t seen from a draft-eligible defender since the 1970s – and the offensive side of the puck may not even be his best trait.
Buium is among the latest crop of players to play in the NCAA during their NHL draft years. Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini is the early favorite to go first overall this season. Michigan State defender Artyom Levshunov has been a hot topic of conversation in the draft sphere because of the physical tools he possesses.
The 2024 NHL draft seems to be a bit messy at this point in the year. Although Celebrini appears to be securing the top spot, there's very little consensus on the players beyond that. One of the most interesting discussions is about the top defenseman.
Prior to this season, the London Knights’ Sam Dickinson had a strong Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which put his name atop the board. Early in the year, as Russian blueliner Anton Silayev started strong at the KHL level, he was the player everyone seemed to have in mind. When the college season started, Artyom Levshunov was the hot name thanks to his size, mobility and production.
While all those blueliners have upside and bring a unique skill set to the table, there may not be a more well-rounded and intelligent defenseman than Buium, with his balance of offensive aptitude, defensive fortitude and effective transition play. And this was written before the Californian 17-year-old captured the national men's co-player of the month honor for November.
Buium isn’t a flashy blueliner the way Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes are, but he uses his mobility in a way that makes him consistently effective. He is constantly looking to move laterally and then exploit lanes when they present themselves. Whether he is driving into the slot with the puck or looking to present himself as a passing option, Buium is constantly in motion.
He can handle the puck on his forehand or backhand, protect the puck as the defender closes in and maintain the awareness and vision to make a play in traffic. Buium gets to the middle of the ice to shoot, often getting into the slot to generate higher danger chances. He rarely wastes opportunities by shooting from out wider than the faceoff dots and high in the offensive zone.
The ability to create space and evade pressure at the point is an important trait for any defender looking to impact the offensive side of the game, and it’s an area where Buium subtly excels. He sets up opponents by feinting a stride to one side and then shifting his weight to quickly accelerate the other way. His puckhandling isn’t flashy with noticeable dekes, but he has displayed the ability to open the blade of his stick to indicate he plans on going in one direction before attacking the opponent's heels once they make their move.
It’s all good and well that he shows the traits of a good offensive defender, but his 19 points in 15 games are the reward for those efforts. Since 1980, he has been producing at a rate we have never seen from a draft-eligible blueliner. There are still plenty of games to play, and traditionally, many players slow down toward the end of their freshman season as the NCAA catches on to their traits and they wear down a bit physically, but it is impressive to see Buium – and Levshunov for that matter – doing what they are doing offensively.
Buium has outpaced the likes of Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy and Tom Kurvors, all of whom have had very successful NHL careers. The 2021 first overall pick, Owen Power, produced at roughly half of the rate that Buium has and played in just 12 additional games due to COVID-19 shortening the season.
Despite not being a highlight reel-generating defender the way that Roman Josi or Erik Karlsson are, Buium has always been able to find a way to produce and contribute. Buium isn’t out there taking risks for the sake of it and living with the mistakes; he is creating good chances while mitigating the mistakes made by himself and his teammates.
It’s been impressive what Buium has been able to accomplish offensively to start the year. What he has been able to accomplish defensively is equally impressive. Buium has been a calming presence throughout the season. His understanding of space and angles has made him a highly effective defensive player in transition and while defending in-zone.
One thing that has routinely come up in the evaluation of Buium this year is his ability to be a calming presence as play gets loose and wild. He always seems to find a way to collect the puck on his stick and then give everyone a breath with his ability to evade and create room for himself to make the next play. There is very little desperation in his game in the sense that he is consistently finding a way to make the right play.
He isn’t a bruiser who will physically beat down his opponents. Until this year, he has been a shade under six-feet. While he has surpassed the six-foot mark this season, bullying his opponents has never been his style. He is feisty and has no issue mixing it up after the whistle when an opponent takes liberty with his goalie or a teammate. Buium will take the chance to outskill and outsmart you because of the tools he possesses.
He leads with his stick to break up play on the rush, looking to pin the attacker between himself and the boards. Buium dictates where he wants the attacker to go with his excellent defensive footwork. He has the stop-and-start ability to maintain excellent position when covering man-to-man and his spatial awareness to cover in a zone concept.
Buium must continue to get stronger to deal with board battles and net-front traffic, as right now, he uses his craftiness to stay out of trouble, but that won’t always work when you deal with NHLers. The maturity in his game to find ways out of problems has been a major asset and should help him as he advances in level.
Buium’s success shouldn’t be a complete surprise. He has always found a way to be a prominent member of his team, even if he hasn’t been given as many offensive opportunities. Last year with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, he was the team’s best all-around defender, but because he was the youngest on the team and eligible for the 2024 NHL draft – whereas the rest of the team was eligible in 2023 – he wasn’t given the headlines or love that you’d expect.
The university development route has become far more prominent in the last decade for young hockey players looking to build themselves up physically and mentally. Playing against older competitors who are physically stronger and faster than junior players allows high-end prospects to acclimate to the physical toll of playing against men and learning what they can and can’t do with their skills in that environment.
While Buium’s scoring is likely to cool off a bit, and he may not be the dynamic defender we all look for when discussing the best defensemen in any given draft class, Buium has just about everything you’d want in a defender. That’s why we will probably hear his name called earlier than many when the draft rolls around in June – and just like his game, it will go a bit under the radar.