Zeev Buium has represented Team USA at multiple tournaments throughout his career.
For anyone who has watched Team USA play the last few years, a familiar song has been heard whenever they score. The song is "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, which was released in 1973. Whether it is the Winter Olympics or World Juniors, Team USA has been using the song for the past few years to pump up the crowd and the team when they score a goal.
The reason "Free Bird" is used has to do with Vancouver Canucks defenceman Zeev Buium. During the 2025 World Juniors, the now 20-year-old suggested using the song to celebrate when the team scored. In an article with NHL.com from December 2024, Buium explained why he suggested using the song.
"We were just kind of on the bus ride over, hanging out, trying to figure out a song and we were all kind of throwing out songs," Buium said. "I threw out 'Free Bird' and we all kind of clicked on it. We know how much Jacob Fowler from last year's U.S. team loved that song, so we thought it'd be a good tune to go with."
Jan 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) skates during warm up prior to a game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesBuium's song choice appears to be a good luck charm for Team USA. Since being selected, Team USA has had success on both the men's and women's sides, which now includes a Gold Medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics for the women's national team. It appears that Buium made a good selection for a goal song, as it looks like "Free Bird" is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
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