Article: Zeev Buium Pick Is A Marriage Of Wild Needs And Best Player Available

[Tony Abbott]

View full article

[AKwildkraken]

Great write-up.  I thought we'd have to trade into the top 7 to get him, but as luck would have it.

I was surprised at first that we had to trade up one spot, but I bet another team had their eye on him at #12 pick.  It was worth giving up a third next year for him.

[Citizen Strife]

Faber took his place as #1 almost by force and necessity this season.  Imagine getting a second shot at that a season or two later.  No guarantees, but their potential could be frightening.  Brodin and Spurgeon aren't getting any younger.  Finding a potential #1 for a minimal 3rd round cost is about the best the team could have done.  Helenius or Eiserman would have been cool, but this was sheer luck.

[Citizen Strife]

https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/gm-danny-briere-explains-why-flyers-passed-on-zeev-buium/

Looks like Flyers fans are pissed.  Briere said, 'Size problems with our d-corps made the decision easier."  Winners are winners.  Size matters to an extent, but you can't teach skill.  Buium could end up laughing to the bank in a couple years.

[Protec]

Is Brent Flahr an idiot?

His fingerprints are on a lot of draft fails.

[Protec]

Could MN have another defenseman Calder candidate?

The Wild have some guys who can score. This kind of player on the point who can elude & pass will be setting up #97 one-timers with style.

Gonna be fun to see who MN can add today. Playing with house money so to speak.

I never would have thought Buium falls out of the top 10. Parekh had a lot of success in the OHL, imagine if that was the league Buium was playing in? More games against younger competition and you might have seen 100pts.

His style of play is not reliant on size. His mobility and positioning is like Brodin but offensively he's much more dangerous. Comfortable on the attack, great puck protection. NHL wings will be able to defend much better than college players but he's capable of diving into the zone much more effectively than the Middletons, Brodins, or Chisholms who are more apt to make space just to wrist one on goal. Still solid defense making those safe, simple plays, but Buium is way more dynamic. Outstanding Freshman numbers.

[B1GKappa97]

Can't believe he was there for us. Huge assist to Anaheim for snagging Sennecke at #3. Pushed him down to us. I wonder if SJ had gone Buium whether Philly would've stayed and picked Dickinson? 

Either way, huge get for us. This team is gonna be full of talent in a couple seasons. 

Yurov-Heidt-Kaprizov

Boldy-Ek-Laine

Ohgren-Rossi-Hartman

Gaudreau-Khusnutdinov-Foligno

Buium-Faber

Chisholm-Brodin

Lambos-Middleton

Wallstedt

Gus

 

Idk.. I'm pretty excited! 

 

[Pewterschmidt]

This includes 29:29 of ice time in the Frozen Four Final, where he held a Boston College lineup including first-round picks in Perreault, Will Smith, Cutter Gauthier, and Ryan Leonard to zero points. 
 

this gives me tingles.  This isn’t points and TOI in an obscure spritzer league against a lineup of  nojo’s.  This is big game big league action that Z Boo is working like it’s his job.  I was against drafting another d-man but I am very happy to get this one

[Will D. Ness]

BPA at 12 is a fair assessment and it was the right pick.  Excellent pick really.  

My concerns are that Zeev isn't built for playoff hockey and the Wild have once again fallen into the trap of drafting the "smaller dude who fell in the draft".

Are we putting together a team of small speedy guys that are just going to be bowling pins when the game tightens up in the playoffs?  

Florida basically went to the drawing board to get rid of their "high flying presidents trophy team" and did a 180 to create their "nose to the grindstone disciplined team".  The results speak for themselves.

Great pick though, and worst case is he becomes a valued asset.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

10 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

My concerns are that Zeev isn't built for playoff hockey and the Wild have once again fallen into the trap of drafting the "smaller dude who fell in the draft".

His brother is around 6'4". I wonder if Zeev Buium might be closer to 6'1" by this time next year. Getting a Heiskanen type of player at #12 feels like a steal.

[Citizen Strife]

You gotta make the playoffs first before worrying about that shit.  Buium, Faber, and Rossi all getting 50-60 pt seasons (within the realm of possibility) would go a long way.  That's even before accounting what Yurov, Heidt, Ohgren, or Khus could do someday.  The Wild need to prove they have depth scoring to beat people enough to make the fucking playoffs before whining about not being big enough.  The Flyers just fell for that trap.

Size, grit, hitting: at the end of the day, getting pucks past the other goaltender is all that matters. 

[Will D. Ness]

17 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

His brother is around 6'4". I wonder if Zeev Buium might be closer to 6'1" by this time next year. Getting a Heiskanen type of player at #12 feels like a steal.

If he turns out to be Heiskanen then we all are happy.  Big if.

But we all must come to the realization that there were 5 defenseman picked before him.  If he becomes Heiskanen then it's the steal of the draft.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

3 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

But we all must come to the realization that there were 5 defenseman picked before him.  If he becomes Heiskanen then it's the steal of the draft.

There were 5 picked before him for various reasons, mostly size, but this was a defensively strong draft and most of the scouting had him rated as a top 3 defenseman. Guys like Yakemchuk and Silayev are picks based upon projection more than their current skill level.

Buium is more skilled than those guys, and he's simply better defensively than Parekh. I'm not suggesting he's a lock to be at Heiskanen's level, but that hockey projection included a name like Bobby Orr and a lot of people had Buium top 5 in the last month. He could be able to help the Wild as soon as 25-26, when Yurov arrives.

There were 14 defensemen selected ahead of Roman Josi in 2008, including Bogosian, but I think I'd still want Josi on the Wild more than most of them.

[kapislife]

I'm intrigued by this pick! I did next to zero window shopping this year. I'll take a falling elite player! Hell yeah, sounds like Cale Makar lite

[IllicitFive]

17 minutes ago, kapislife said:

I'm intrigued by this pick! I did next to zero window shopping this year. I'll take a falling elite player! Hell yeah, sounds like Cale Makar lite

Some of the highlights I was watching of him I got the same vibe. Makar is next level but I like how keev, like Makar, will drive to the net for an opportunity. Has nice hands too. 

[Citizen Strife]

Ryder Ritchie at 45.  Probably a late 1st who fell.  Right wing is dire need, so that's good.

 

 

 

 

[Protec]

Yeah most rankings had him closer to 30-35ish. Don't know much about him but seems like a good pick at 45th.

[Protec]

Next pick at 110th. That's gonna be awhile. With a defenseman and wing, what's next? Minnesota kid?

[Protec]

How bout Burrows from Tonka or Dodig from CDH? I'd support either guy at 110th and MN gets a local injection of talent. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

21 minutes ago, Protec said:

Yeah most rankings had him closer to 30-35ish. Don't know much about him but seems like a good pick at 45th.

Kind of wonder if the Wild would have gone for a big defenseman there if Kleber(#42) or Brunicke(#44) didn't go right before them. Ritchie does sound like a solid addition at #45 though.

[Citizen Strife]

Pulkkinen was still on the board if they wanted a big guy, but I guess taking Buium made going offense with Ritchie more logical

[mnfaninnc]

2 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

Size, grit, hitting: at the end of the day, getting pucks past the other goaltender is all that matters. 

I just disagree with this statement. Goals do matter, but you've got to keep them out of your net too. Size and grit matter in the playoffs. But, there is a place for players like Buium. 

Let's say he fills out to between 200-205. He'll be able to hold his own as a partner with Faber. As a #1 pairing, it may be light, but they can both truly skate. Both of these players aren't heavyweights, but they are upper level middleweights and will be very good. 

The issue then is what about the other guys? I think if we're collectively too small, then we get into trouble. We'll need to pick up some size later.  Now Lambos was about 200 coming into last year. He could fill out to 210-215. That would be big enough. 

But, where size was a real problem was when we had Spurgeon, Dumba, Addison on the right side. It was a collection of too small. We've got a place for Buium on the left side. 

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, Citizen Strife said:

Pulkkinen was still on the board if they wanted a big guy, but I guess taking Buium made going offense with Ritchie more logical

I haven't seen Pulkkinnen off yet. Hopefully we can pick him up at 110. 

[mnfaninnc]

I was disappointed in Buium being the one who dropped. I was looking for similar skill in a larger frame, but that's just not the way the draft went.

It fell with Buium, who's name just does not type off the keyboard well. With what was left, and moving up just flipping a 3rd next year, grabbing him was excellent value. At worst, it seems like we got someone 5 slots lower, but maybe he is really, really good. He was the last of the blue chip prospects on D to get drafted. Chip on shoulder??? Motivation??? 

Sometimes this just works out really well, and I think that may happen here. He'll likely be ready after this next season with Denver, and while he'll take someone's spot late in the season to burn an ELC year, maybe he'll impress enough to make the playoff roster? Faber did that when it was obvious that Merrill and Goligoski couldn't keep up with Dallas' speed. Sure, he was sheltered, but he certainly held his own. 

Tony presented a nice article, as nobody predicted in the mocks that it was Buium that would drop. It's probably a blessing that he did. 

Now, where do we get size on D from? Probably trades. Brackett just doesn't seem to be a guy who likes drafting size. It's not one of the attributes he looks at. 

For those worried about Lambos, Peart, Spacek, Masters, I just think they need more time. They should be better next season. Hopefully they will be living in the gym.

[Will D. Ness]

1 hour ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

There were 5 picked before him for various reasons, mostly size, but this was a defensively strong draft and most of the scouting had him rated as a top 3 defenseman. Guys like Yakemchuk and Silayev are picks based upon projection more than their current skill level.

Buium is more skilled than those guys, and he's simply better defensively than Parekh. I'm not suggesting he's a lock to be at Heiskanen's level, but that hockey projection included a name like Bobby Orr and a lot of people had Buium top 5 in the last month. He could be able to help the Wild as soon as 25-26, when Yurov arrives.

There were 14 defensemen selected ahead of Roman Josi in 2008, including Bogosian, but I think I'd still want Josi on the Wild more than most of them.

First off, let's just make this clear:  I think the pick was excellent.  I think Zeev is perceived as a high value skilled guy and the situation called for the pick.  I am thinking giving up a 3rd is insurance well spent too.

The question is if he can play defense.  

5 GM's are thinking he can't.   Bigger guys like Yakemchuk or Dickenson have a better balance of size and skill and are the kind of defenseman you want (ie Josi) to have in playoff hockey.  Sure there are unicorns like Makar and Heiskanen that are the whole package but it is a gamble to bet that Zeev is going to that calibre.

But a gamble you take at 12 for sure.