When the Minnesota Wild drafted Zeev Buium 12th last year, he was praised by experts as one of the best. Minnesota received the only A+ in Corey Pronman’s draft grades. The Wild have an elite young player who will be exciting to watch next season.

College hockey is gaining importance

Minnesota should be pleased to see Zeev Buium developing in the NCAA during a golden era of college hockey. For most of NHL history, the best young players played almost exclusively in the Canadian junior system or in professional leagues overseas. But that is no longer the case. Over the last decade, college hockey has become a viable option for talented young players to develop into elite NHL prospects.

This trend is clearly visible in the NHL Draft. In the 2014 draft, only three first-round players committed to spending time in the NCAA. The Detroit Red Wings drafted Dylan Larkin 15th, making him the first college player taken off the board. The 2024 draft was packed with eight first-round picks who have either already played in college or are looking to do so.

The NCAA acts as a defender factory

The NCAA’s impressive record in developing NHL talent has been a big topic in hockey in recent years. The college system has a penchant for producing successful defensemen. In February, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski surveyed NHL management personnel on many topics, including who they thought were the best players at each position. Four of the top five defensemen (Adam Fox, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar and Charlie McAvoy) played at least two years of college hockey.

What does Wild want to see from Buium’s second year of studies?

College hockey is a great place for Buium to develop, but it’s important to examine what the Wild expect from the Pioneers defenseman in his sophomore season. Buium’s play in Denver will be one of the most talked about topics this year, but not everyone is used to following the NCAA closely. Let’s discuss how the Wild will measure the success of their junior players this upcoming season and what fans can expect from the young defenseman’s development as a player.

Before we dive deeper, it’s important to know that advanced statistics aren’t widely available in college hockey. We’ll use basic statistics and qualitative data to create the most accurate picture possible. Let’s take a quick look at Buium’s stats from his freshman season.

Zeev Buium

Comparison with other star defenders

Keeping Buium’s outstanding freshman season in mind, the best place to start analyzing his trajectory next year is by comparing him to other elite NCAA defenders in their second season. Let’s use the previously mentioned players among the top five defenders in the 2024 Front Office Poll.

Here’s a look at the college careers of Adam Fox, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar and Charlie McAvoy:

What lessons can we learn from the results of these second-year players? In general, there is no blueprint for a defenseman’s statistical progress. Three of the four improved their scoring. On the other hand, Fox experienced a noticeable drop in performance.

The development is not linear

It’s difficult to draw conclusions from the rudimentary statistics of college hockey, but Fox’s NCAA career teaches us an important lesson. Development is not linear. The Wild and their fans must prepare for a possible decline in offensive production.

Buium’s first season may have been so impressive statistically that he can’t improve on his production. Since the 2000-01 NCAA season, Buium is one of only four defensemen to score 50 points, and he is the only freshman to do so. His 39 assists were a record for a first-year defenseman. A slight dip in production could be disappointing, but shouldn’t be surprising. Fox’s offense dropped off in his sophomore year, but it didn’t hinder his progress.

What things, aside from basic stats, could indicate a healthy development for the Wild’s 2024 first-round pick?

Stabilizing a blueline

One sign that Buium is making progress is his ability to stabilize a Pioneers defense that is going through a lot of changes. Buium’s frequent partner on defense, Sean Behrens, will not return next season after signing with the Colorado Avalanche. Zeev’s brother, Shai Buium, is another Denver defenseman who will not return.

If Buium can lead the Pioneers back to being one of the best defensive units in the country, he will prove he is a solid force for a team. Buium showed his offensive prowess last year in an environment where he had several experienced veterans to call on, and the Wild will be thrilled if he can come anywhere close to that performance as the team’s new defensive leader.

Take on a leadership role

NHL teams also look for leadership qualities in their young players. Unfortunately for Buium, Denver returns the leadership group from last year. Because of the group’s return, Buium likely won’t have a team name, but he can be a leader in other ways. As a detail-oriented player, he sets an example for the team.

Buium has all the skills to be a solid defenseman, and scouts often cite his hockey IQ as one of his greatest strengths. After the Wild drafted him, he made it a point to improve his defensive consistency, something he hoped to work on next season. Implementing that improvement would set an example for Denver and show Minnesota they have a young leader in their ranks.

Contribution to a culture of success

Minnesota is trying to build a winning culture with its core of young players, and this aspect of Buium’s career can serve as a sign of development.

“I chose the University of Denver because of the culture,” Buium said on the Denver Pioneers’ roster page. “I believe this is where you can grow as a student, athlete and person. And if you want to win a national championship, this is the place to go.”

Buium already proved his intuition was right last season when Denver won the NCAA championship. The national title win came months after he won gold with the USA World Juniors team. It will be a challenge to repeat a year like that, but the Wild already know they have a player who knows how to win. Strong performances in Denver’s conference, the Frozen Four and international tournaments can only be beneficial for the player’s maturation.

Zeev Buium Growth Outlook

As mentioned, it’s difficult to get too caught up in college stats due to the general lack of available data. But even without that data, there are some clear ways the promising defenseman can show his progress. What will you be looking for this season? What are the key things Buium can do to show the Wild’s loyal fans that he’s developing into the elite defenseman they hope he will be?