Article: Wild Top Prospect Zeev Buium Making NHL Debut Tuesday

[Thomas Williams]

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[MrCheatachu]

Excited to see the kid skate, but am going to have my expectations tempered that he might not be Faber 2.0 where he can step in and immediately be noticeable (in a good way) in the playoffs, god willing the team doesnt shit the bed.

The 5 minutes Hynsies gave to Crotty in a must-win game with a depleted defense corps seems to suggest Hynsies isnt comfortable just winging a warm body on the back line, but damn any warm body seems to be welcome at this point for the D, hopefully JoBro/Faber aren't going to have to go 33+ minutes a night for the remainder of the games.

[MacGyver]

What we haven't started the he's only 6' and a buck eighty five criticisms yet? I guess we can at least wait until he's been pushed off the puck twice in his first game in the N! Just kidding! As always I am curbing my enthusiasm for any hyped prospects for the Wild.  However the only prospects who seem to have success here are the ones who are not really prospects at all but are plug and play players who do not need development as in Faber. If we have proven one thing it's we are not very successful at developing players in Iowa.  So for Buium's sake I hope he is at least serviceable out of the gate. 

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, MrCheatachu said:

but damn any warm body seems to be welcome at this point for the D, hopefully JoBro/Faber aren't going to have to go 33+ minutes a night for the remainder of the games.

I believe we will see this again on Tuesday night. Faber and Brodin have an extra day of rest and plenty of rest before the playoffs start. My bet is they will both see half the game on Tuesday unless it turns into a laugher.

 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

43 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

If we have proven one thing it's we are not very successful at developing players in Iowa.  So for Buium's sake I hope he is at least serviceable out of the gate. 

Rossi seems to have developed from someone who was getting lots of AHL minutes early on. For Buium, I think he'll be better than Addison from day 1 and many people seemed to be high on Addison when the Wild PP was doing well even though Addison wasn't doing all that much for it and his defense was awful.

Buium could be much better in a 2nd or 3rd pairing role early on with the Wild. Have to wonder if his defense was sometimes lacking in college because he was playing so much of the game and wearing down. He averaged around 27 minutes per game--51 minutes in their double-OT loss the other night. Not a punisher, but likely a capable defender.

Buium is a proven winner, and should be able to show it in high effort minutes for the Wild when he's playing closer to 18-20 minutes per night.

[mnfaninnc]

49 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

What we haven't started the he's only 6' and a buck eighty five criticisms yet? I guess we can at least wait until he's been pushed off the puck twice in his first game in the N! Just kidding! As always I am curbing my enthusiasm for any hyped prospects for the Wild.  However the only prospects who seem to have success here are the ones who are not really prospects at all but are plug and play players who do not need development as in Faber. If we have proven one thing it's we are not very successful at developing players in Iowa.  So for Buium's sake I hope he is at least serviceable out of the gate. 

I've been worried about the 185 all season. I do think he's packed on some pounds since the season began, maybe just from filling out naturally. At 6', I would think the goal would be about 200 lbs. Looking at his brother at last year's draft, he was ripped, and I expect the same out of Zeev, though, he's 3" shorter. 

Of course, when are the measurements in the NHL ever accurate? It's kind of like wrestling measurements.

[mnfaninnc]

I'm excited to see Buium in the lineup on Tuesday. I think he'll immediately add something that we're missing. I expect Spurgeon to be out 1 more game but be ready for the playoffs. I also expect us to win tomorrow night, punching our ticket to the playoffs. 

Did my eyes deceive me, or did Rossi pretty much get benched for most of the 3rd period against Vancouver? After the 1st goal, I don't remember seeing him out there, specifically after the Trenin debacle. That was just 1 more time where the referees screwed the Wild. When will they end this?

Blues need a win on Tuesday. Flames must run the table. We need at least a loser point Tuesday, though a win is the best way to do it.

And, what is the latest on Tim Washe?

Edited yesterday at 02:43 PM by mnfaninnc

[Up North Guy]

49 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

And, what is the latest on Tim Washe?

looks like a decision will be announced tonight

[Citizen Strife]

If Buium can eventually unseat Faber from PP time (they already did that with five forward looks), then maybe...MAYBE Faber and Spurgeon can put their focus on the PK unit.

Faber and Rossi need some fucking rest.  Rossi has been gutting out injuries half the season.

Edited yesterday at 03:42 PM by Citizen Strife

[Patrick]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

I've been worried about the 185 all season. I do think he's packed on some pounds since the season began, maybe just from filling out naturally. At 6', I would think the goal would be about 200 lbs. Looking at his brother at last year's draft, he was ripped, and I expect the same out of Zeev, though, he's 3" shorter. 

Of course, when are the measurements in the NHL ever accurate? It's kind of like wrestling measurements.

Exactly! Quinn Hughes (180 pounds) and Cale Makar (187 pounds) have both failed to gain traction at the NHL level due to their lighter weights.  This is a totally legitimate concern that you have....

[MrCheatachu]

25 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

If Buium can eventually unseat Faber from PP time (they already did that with five forward looks), then maybe...MAYBE Faber and Spurgeon can put their focus on the PK unit.

Faber and Rossi need some fucking rest.  Rossi has been gutting out injuries half the season.

Past couple games they've been running 5 forwards...Faber's lost his spot to Boldy, which hasn't looked half bad

[Sam]

1 hour ago, Patrick said:

Exactly! Quinn Hughes (180 pounds) and Cale Makar (187 pounds) have both failed to gain traction at the NHL level due to their lighter weights.  This is a totally legitimate concern that you have....

Yea they’re not the best but they’re still young and will get better.

[FredJohnson]

Boo-ee-im??

[FredJohnson]

3 hours ago, MacGyver said:

What we haven't started the he's only 6' and a buck eighty five criticisms yet? I guess we can at least wait until he's been pushed off the puck twice in his first game in the N! Just kidding! As always I am curbing my enthusiasm for any hyped prospects for the Wild.  However the only prospects who seem to have success here are the ones who are not really prospects at all but are plug and play players who do not need development as in Faber. If we have proven one thing it's we are not very successful at developing players in Iowa.  So for Buium's sake I hope he is at least serviceable out of the gate. 

Oh it’s been posted on here…a lot.

[Protec]

9 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

Boo-ee-im??

Da Buoy... 😁

[Pewterschmidt]

2 hours ago, Patrick said:

Exactly! Quinn Hughes (180 pounds) and Cale Makar (187 pounds) have both failed to gain traction at the NHL level due to their lighter weights.  This is a totally legitimate concern that you have....

Comparing a couple unicorns who are in the same weight class (i would have guessed Makar was heavier) to a college sophomore and implying the same NHL results for the college sophomore is the kind of logic that you find on a fan site.

[mnfaninnc]

3 hours ago, Patrick said:

Exactly! Quinn Hughes (180 pounds) and Cale Makar (187 pounds) have both failed to gain traction at the NHL level due to their lighter weights.  This is a totally legitimate concern that you have....

It's pretty simple math and physics. Especially a defender needs some bulk to defend, block shots, and move people out of the front of the net. This is how playoff hockey is won. You can have a smaller defender and be alright, but you can't have a bunch of them. Spurgy, Brodin, Chisholm and borderline Merrill are all underweight for the position. Granted that Buium will replace one of those guys, but, really, that's too many small guys on the back end, and Judd isn't really helping things by drafting his undersized, puck moving, defenders. 

Your point mirrors many here, but if you're looking for a good reason as to why the Wild don't advance in the playoffs, this is one of those reasons. There's several of them out there, but this one is controllable. 

[Patrick]

1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Comparing a couple unicorns who are in the same weight class (i would have guessed Makar was heavier) to a college sophomore and implying the same NHL results for the college sophomore is the kind of logic that you find on a fan site.

There have been multiple articles comparing Zeev to both of those players so its more than fans thinking it.  Lets hope he lives up to the hype!

Edited yesterday at 07:10 PM by Patrick

[Scalptrash]

5 hours ago, MacGyver said:

What we haven't started the he's only 6' and a buck eighty five criticisms yet?

He's a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier than Spurgeon. Sounds like a stud.

[Protec]

Buium will mature but college players are pretty big and strong too. 

I don't really worry he'll be ruined jumping into the NHL now. The Wild need a player like this and they can always plug in more Bogos or Merrrills when needed. Let's not forget we played with Travis Dermott this season.

Buium will be able to handle the big stage. His passing is good enough to see him spring Kaprizov or Boldy for a breakaway. No way he's more of a liability than Dumba was or Chisholm when he coughs it up. The Wild need to assess and get a better idea of where things stand before the Summer. Important crossroads for GMBG and this off-season. 

[FredJohnson]

2 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Comparing a couple unicorns who are in the same weight class (i would have guessed Makar was heavier) to a college sophomore and implying the same NHL results for the college sophomore is the kind of logic that you find on a fan site.

I read the original comment as Boy-ee-yum's weight should not automatically mean he will struggle or not excel in the N as some on here have implied. And it’s even possible to be one of the best in the league at that weight (not to imply that he will be one of the best).

[FredJohnson]

2 hours ago, Protec said:

Da Buoy... 😁

Baba booey!

[FredJohnson]

6 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Rossi seems to have developed from someone who was getting lots of AHL minutes early on. For Buium, I think he'll be better than Addison from day 1 and many people seemed to be high on Addison when the Wild PP was doing well even though Addison wasn't doing all that much for it and his defense was awful.

Buium could be much better in a 2nd or 3rd pairing role early on with the Wild. Have to wonder if his defense was sometimes lacking in college because he was playing so much of the game and wearing down. He averaged around 27 minutes per game--51 minutes in their double-OT loss the other night. Not a punisher, but likely a capable defender.

Buium is a proven winner, and should be able to show it in high effort minutes for the Wild when he's playing closer to 18-20 minutes per night.

Rossi and Boldy…that’s about it for the last handful of seasons. Some of the dearth of development is from Fletcher trading the future away.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Washe going to the Ducks, so Wild might face him tomorrow.

Hynes on Buium after meeting with him today:

Quote

“He’s a good-skating defenseman,” Hynes said. “He moves the puck well. He’s got good instincts. He’s got a competitive nature to him. He’s very good on the power play. I think when you watch him play and see what he’s been able to do, those things stick out for sure. I also think he’s shown in college and World Juniors, in some high-stakes games, he’s been able to make some plays under pressure and play well in those types of environments.” --The Athletic

Spurgeon making good progress and Middleton with a chance to return for the final game, so no word yet on whether they play Buium.

[Up North Guy]

5 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Washe going to the Ducks, so Wild might face him tomorrow.

Hynes on Buium after meeting with him today:

Spurgeon making good progress and Middleton with a chance to return for the final game, so no word yet on whether they play Buium.

I would be surprised if they announced it today.