Minnesota Wild NHL Draft picks tracker: Grades, fits and analysis

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Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Minnesota Wild’s new prospects and how they fit into the farm system. This page will be updated throughout the 2024 NHL Draft.

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Draft Class

12. Zeev Buium, LHD, Univ. of Denver (NCAA)

December 7, 2005 | 6′ 0″ | 185 pounds

Tier: NHL All-Star

Skating: Above NHL average.
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: High-end
Compete: NHL average

Player comparable: Morgan Rielly

Analysis: Buium was one of the top-scoring defensemen in college as a draft-eligible and one of the best draft-eligible defensemen I’ve ever seen at that level. He is an extremely intelligent puck-mover who can run a power play like a top NHL player. He makes high-end plays routinely and can break shifts open with his puckhandling and passes. Buium is a strong skater who can activate off the blue line and create off the rush. He has very good edge work and is proficient at making checkers miss. His defense is good enough at the amateur level, but he isn’t very physically imposing. He is smart and mobile and breaks up enough plays to go with his great offense to be a major positive at even strength. He has game-breaking potential and looks like a potential star No. 1 defenseman in the NHL who will put up big numbers.

Pick grade: A+

Thoughts on the pick: Buium is exactly what the Wild need. He’s a dynamic defenseman who is one of the smartest players in the draft and carried Denver to a title. He has the potential to be a top pair/PP1 defender for the Wild and provides some star upside they don’t have a ton of in their organization.

(Photo of Zeev Buium: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)