Zeev
Buium
D · VAN · Balanced · Very poor
- PAL
- 18
- WAR
- 0.0
- Value
- 30
- PTS
- 12
2025-26№ 177 / 325
Zeev Buium (Vancouver Canucks) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Zeev Buium
HEIGHT : 183 cm · WEIGHT : 83 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : December 6, 2005 · San Diego, United States
Drafted : 2024 · MIN · round 1, pick #12
Contract : $966,500 · 2024-25 → 2026-27 · Entry-Level Contract · RFA (10.2) · Signing bonus $97,500
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Vancouver Canucks | 19 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 2025-26 | Vancouver Canucks | 45 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 33 |
| 2025-26 | Minnesota Wild | 31 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 8 |
| NHL totals | 95 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 47 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Minnesota Wild | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Playoff totals | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
Zeev Buium: our analysis
2025-26 season: 45 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 PTS, -24 +/-, 20:21 TOI. WAR 0.0 (177th of 325) · PAL 18, very poor.
In 2025-26, Zeev Buium, 20, posts a PAL Rating of 18 out of 100 (very poor), and his WAR of 0.0 ranks 177th among 325 regulars, in the bottom half.
His strengths: discipline (91, among the best in the league), power play (76, well above average) and shooting (72, above average). On the other hand, defense (2, among the weakest in the league) and possession (4, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+1.5); his biggest cost: EV defense (-3.2).
Contract-wise, his Value score of 30 (poor return) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Zeev Buium's story
Growing up in San Diego to parents who emigrated from Israel, Zeev Buium rose through the American development ladder and made his mark as an offensive-minded defenseman at the USNTDP. He spent two seasons in that program, lining up for both under-17 and under-18 squads and seeing regular action in USHL competition; those seasons established him as a blueliner who can create plays and log meaningful minutes against high-level junior opposition.
Buium moved on to the University of Denver in 2023 and quickly became a focal point of the Pioneers' defense corps. As a freshman and then a sophomore he produced steady point totals, put together lengthy scoring streaks, and collected conference honours that highlighted his two-way contributions. His second collegiate season featured a hat-trick from the back end and top-tier scoring totals among NCAA defensemen, reinforcing his reputation as one of the country's leading young defensemen.
Selected 12th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, Buium signed an entry-level deal in April 2025 and made an unusual professional debut later that month when he took the ice for Minnesota during the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. He split time between the Wild and the professional ranks in 2025–26, registering goals and assists in his rookie campaign before being included in a December 2025 trade that sent him to the Vancouver Canucks as part of a multi-player package. In September 2026 Vancouver extended his contract with a long-term agreement, signalling the club's commitment to his development.
Internationally, Buium has represented the United States across age groups and at senior level. He was part of U.S. squads that captured gold at the U18 Worlds and at successive World Junior Championships, and he made his senior debut at the 2025 World Championship, contributing offensively as the United States secured a major tournament title.
On the ice, Buium is defined by his playmaking from the blue line, the ability to drive offence while handling defensive responsibilities, and a composure that lets him quarterback power-play sequences. He blends puck movement and scoring instincts with positioning that keeps him effective in both ends of the rink.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 21:08
- PP TOI/GP
- 1:41
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:03
- Pts/GP
- 0.21
- EV points
- 4
- Hits
- 2
- Blocks
- 18
- Takeaways
- 3
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 42.7 %
- Off. zone starts
- 33.9 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
26between 13 and 37 (80% range)
- Goals
- 5
- Assists
- 21
- Games
- 80
So far: 4 pts in 19 games. The team has played 19 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.36 pts per game (last season: 0.34).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 59 %
66
Depth
- SK
- Skating
- 81
- Confidence 40 %
- ST
- Strength
- 60
- Confidence 64 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 78
- Confidence 50 %
- DU
- Durability
- 78
- Confidence 40 %
- CK
- Checking
- 65
- Confidence 64 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 81
- Confidence 32 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 88
- Confidence 64 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 79
- Confidence 59 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 79
- Confidence 59 %
- DF
- Defense
- 49
- Confidence 55 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 50
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating81
- Top speed (35 %)36 · 81
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)1.935 · 76
- Distance /60 (20 %)14.4 · 80
- Speed consistency (15 %)35.5 · 87
ST — Strength60
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.746 · 72
- Body mass (50 %)-1.063 · 57
EN — Endurance78
- Ice time per game (45 %)19.1 · 76
- Total ice time (20 %)1,443 · 77
- Shift length (15 %)51.8 · 86
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)18.3 · 78
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)2.409 · 75
DU — Durability78
- Share of games played (100 %)0.836 · 78
CK — Checking65
- Hits /60 (70 %)1.827 · 63
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)2.113 · 70
- Season volume (10 %)3.367 · 66
FG — Fighting81
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.994 · 81
DI — Discipline88
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.003 · 88
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.542 · 79
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.562 · 84
PA — Passing79
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.446 · 80
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.401 · 74
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.04 · 70
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.433 · 84
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.36 · 83
SC — Scoring79
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.25 · 78
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.197 · 74
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.431 · 82
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.154 · 83
- xG per shot (10 %)0.036 · 81
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)9.098 · 71
DF — Defense49
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)-0.102 · 57
- Relative xG against (20 %)0.214 · 54
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.915 · 50
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.013 · 72
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-2.742 · 55
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)60.7 · 60
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)2.945 · 45
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience50
- Career regular-season games (65 %)61
- Career playoff games (25 %)30
- NHL seasons (10 %)24
OV — Overall66
- DF · Defense (30 %)49
- PA · Passing (22 %)79
- SK · Skating (12 %)81
- SC · Scoring (12 %)79
- EN · Endurance (9 %)78
- ST · Strength (6 %)60
- DI · Discipline (5 %)88
- CK · Checking (4 %)65
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
0.0
wins above replacement
177 of 325
PAL Rating
18/ 100
Performance · Very poor
202 of 250 at the position
Value Rating
30/ 100
Poor return
0.97 M$ · expected PAL 40
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 53
- Defense
- 2
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 67
- Creation
- 45
- Shooting
- 72
- Possession
- 4
- Defense
- 2
- Discipline
- 91
- Power play
- 76
- Penalty kill
- 17
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
60/ 100
Average
better than 60% of defensemen, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
76/ 100
Very good
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
37/ 100
Below average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 89 of 225 defensemen.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 33
- Shot selection
- 80
- Penalties drawn
- 88
- Puck management
- 19
Defense
- Takeaways
- 33
- Discipline
- 78
- Safe zone exits
- 9
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
0.0
wins above replacement
-0.9 to 0.7 — 90% interval
177 of 325 defensemen
+0.2 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -1.3
- EV defense
- -3.2
- Power play
- -0.4
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +1.5
- Penalties
- +0.5
- Average → replacement
- +3.0
In goals.
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 133.2 km/h21st percentileleague avg. 139.7 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 34.2 km/h54th percentileleague avg. 34.0 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 1169th percentileleague avg. 8
- Offensive zone time
- 40.3 %39th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 93.3 km92nd percentileleague avg. 56.1 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.99 km85th percentileleague avg. 4.98 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 39.5 %12th percentileleague avg. 42.8 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.8 %36th percentileleague avg. 16.9 %
- Defensive zone time
- 41.9 %31st percentileleague avg. 40.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1764th percentile | 049th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| High danger | 175th percentile | 084th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Mid range | 366th percentile | 073rd percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Long range | 1072nd percentile | 077th percentile | 0.0 %67th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
EDM
WPG
ANA
TOR
SJS
MIN
DET
CAR
TBL
FLA
NYI
NYR
NJD
VGK
CGYZeev Buium: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Zeev Buium have in 2026-27?
Zeev Buium has 0 goals and 4 points (4 assists) in 19 games in 2026-27.
How old is Zeev Buium?
Zeev Buium is 20 years old: he was born on December 7, 2005.
How tall is Zeev Buium, and how much does he weigh?
Zeev Buium is 6'0" (183 cm) and weighs 183 lb (83 kg).
Where is Zeev Buium from?
United States: Zeev Buium was born in San Diego, California, United States.
What team does Zeev Buium play for?
Zeev Buium plays for the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL, at D, wearing number 8.
Is Zeev Buium injured?
No: Zeev Buium is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Zeev Buium?
Zeev Buium produced 0.0 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 177th of 325 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 18 out of 100: very poor for his position.
How much does Zeev Buium make?
Zeev Buium earns $967K for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 30 out of 100 (poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Zeev Buium's contract end?
Zeev Buium's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Zeev Buium overpaid?
Yes, his output falls short of what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 30 out of 100 (poor return), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Zeev Buium a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 177th of 325 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
How has Zeev Buium played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Zeev Buium has 3 points (0 goals, 3 assists).
What are Zeev Buium's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Zeev Buium has 95 games, 6 goals, 24 assists and 30 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 14 points in 31 games.
Where was Zeev Buium drafted?
Zeev Buium was drafted 12th overall (round 1) by Minnesota Wild in 2024.
Is Zeev Buium better at home or on the road?
No real difference: in 2026-27, he averages 0.25 points per game at home (2 in 8 games) and 0.18 on the road (2 in 11 games).
How does Zeev Buium perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Zeev Buium has 4 games and 1 point in his career. His pace (0.25 points per game) is similar to his regular-season pace (0.32).
Which player is most similar to Zeev Buium?
Tom Willander: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Tom Willander's page →Is Zeev Buium a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 26 points in 2026-27, or 0.33 points per game.
Does Zeev Buium have siblings?
Yes: his older brother Shai Buium (played college hockey at Denver; drafted 36th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021).
Is Zeev Buium related to anyone famous?
Yes: Miriam Buium (mother, played professional basketball in Israel before an injury ended her playing career; became a general manager in the sport).
What is Zeev Buium's nationality?
Zeev Buium is Israeli-American. Internationally: United States — gold medal at the 2023 World U18 Championship; gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship; gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championship; gold medal at the 2025 World Championship.
What awards has Zeev Buium won?
NCHC Player of the Month — November 2023 ; HCA National Co-Player of the Month — November 2023 ; NCHC Rookie of the Month — December 2023 ; All-NCHC First Team — 2023–24 season ; All-NCHC Rookie Team — 2023–24 season ; NCHC Rookie of the Year — 2023–24 ; NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year — 2023–24 ; All-NCHC First Team — 2024–25 season; and more.
How many championships has Zeev Buium won?
5: NCAA national champion with Denver — 2024 (2–0 win in the national championship game vs. Boston College); World U18 champion with the United States — gold medal 2023; World Junior champion with the United States — gold medal 2024; World Junior champion with the United States — gold medal 2025; World Champion with the United States — gold medal 2025.
Where did Zeev Buium play before turning pro?
USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) — 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons; University of Denver (Denver Pioneers) — 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons.
How many points is Zeev Buium projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 26 points in 80 games in 2026-27 (13 to 37 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Vancouver Canucks teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)