A preview of Canucks defenceman Zeev Buium's 2026-27 season.
Welcome to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s 2026–27 player preview article series. This series will outline the expectations for every player projected to play for the Canucks during the 2026–27 season. Today’s player is Canucks defenceman Zeev Buium.
Buium's 2025–26 Season
Buium made an immediate impact after being traded to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes deal. The 20-year-old scored in his Canucks debut while also recording an assist against the New Jersey Devils. Overall, Buium was getting plenty of ice time to start his career with Vancouver, as he played over 20 minutes in 10 of his first 15 games.
As for Buium's overall time with the Canucks last year, it featured ups and downs. He started to find his footing after the trade deadline and finished his Vancouver campaign with 12 points in 45 games. At the end of the year, Buium finished third in voting among defencemen for the All-Rookie team, as he was included on nine ballots.
Buium's 2025–26 Letter Grade
For his efforts during the 2025–26 season, The Hockey News' Canucks site gave Buium a B grade. As mentioned, he struggled at times but started to show some dominant play near the end of the campaign. Buium also looked more confident after the trade deadline passed as he started to develop some chemistry with Filip Hronek.
Mar 24, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) handles the puck against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesBuium's 2026–27 Predictions
Buium is going to be relied upon heavily throughout the season. He is not only projected to be on the first pair with Hronek, but also the top power play unit. Ultimately, it will not be surprising if Buium averages over 23 minutes a night next year.
One of the big questions for Buium is what his defensive game will look like. He is a dynamic offensive defenceman, but will need to improve in his own zone if he wants to take his game to the next level. The good news for Buium is that the team around him should play more structured, which should help him develop into a bona fide top-pair defender.
Bold prediction: Buium wins the 2027 Walter (Babe) Pratt Trophy as the team's best defenceman.
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