Buium made history as the first NHL player with Israeli parents, a milestone of deep cultural significance that has made him a role model for many in the Jewish and Israeli communities.
While Zeev Buium’s hockey résumé is undeniably impressive – highlighted by a standout collegiate career at the University of Denver, where he was a 2024 NCAA Champion, a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist (2023/24, 2024/25), National Collegiate Hockey Player of the Year (2024/25), and named to multiple all-tournament teams – it is the way he represents his Jewish identity and Israeli heritage that truly sets him apart.
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Buium made history as the first NHL player with Israeli parents, a milestone of deep cultural significance that has made him a role model for many in the Jewish and Israeli communities.
Born in San Diego, California, to Ashdod natives Sorin and Miriam, Buium’s connection to his roots has always fueled his ambition. Ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, he expressed a strong sense of duty to be a trailblazer.
In an interview with The Forward, he said, “I believe I have a responsibility to pave the way for younger kids that are Jewish and show them it is possible,” attributing much of his determination and resilience to his Israeli upbringing.
Buium’s path to elite hockey was paved with sacrifice. During his youth, his parents regularly drove more than 112 miles (180 kilometers) each way between San Diego and Los Angeles so that Zeev and his brothers, Shai and Ben, could train with a youth hockey program run by the Los Angeles Kings. He remains deeply grateful for their support and the values they instilled.
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He has spoken openly about those early sacrifices
“Growing up in a household with an Israeli mother, most people would not understand how that is,” he told The Hockey News. “She would do anything for all my brothers and I, and same with my dad. I am very fortunate to have, and do have, the parents that I have. I could not be more grateful for the people around me.” From long drives to relentless encouragement, their commitment laid the foundation for his success.
His gratitude extends to how he and his brothers were raised – with strong Jewish values and a deep connection to theirIsraeli heritage.
These influences, Buium says, helped shape his discipline, work ethic, and sense of identity. During the 2024 World Junior Championship in Stockholm, he noted: “The way they raised us, the things we learned from them, their work ethic, the dedication, the sacrifice – what it takes to get to places you want to go.”
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That foundation continues to reinforce his Jewish-Israeli pride, both on and off the ice.
While his brother Ben chose not to pursue hockey beyond high school, Shai and Zeev played together at the University of Denver, winning the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four championship during Zeev’s freshman season.
That year, Zeev – one of the youngest players in college hockey – put up 50 points (11 goals, 39 assists) and 41 blocked shots in 42 games. He broke Lane Hutson’s record for the longest point streak by a freshman defenseman in the past 21 years, earning a Hobey Baker nomination.
On October 7, 2023 – the day Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel – Zeev made his college hockey debut. His mother Miriam shared the news with him and Shai, doing her best not to alarm them.
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Zeev recalled to The Forward the following year: “We knew the major details, but the biggest thing was she said she is pretty sure all our family is safe and healthy… that was the biggest thing for us.”
He also revealed that he fasts every Yom Kippur and does not participate in practices or games on the day of observance – a conviction rooted in the year Shai once chose practice over the fast and broke his ankle.
“We do not mess with that,” Zeev said.
From December 26, 2023, to January 5, 2024, during his freshman year, Buium competed in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Stockholm. He recorded three goals and two assists in seven games, helping Team USA capture the gold medal and solidifying his status as a top NHL prospect.
On June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas, with eight family members flying in from Israel to witness the moment, Buium was selected 12th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Following in the footsteps of his brother Shai, who was picked 36th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021, Zeev opted to return to Denver for his sophomore season.
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He lived up to the high expectations. Buium recorded 48 points (13 goals, 35 assists), earning National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Year honors. His 48 points tied Boston University’s Cole Hutson for the most by an NCAA defenseman that season, and he became Denver’s first Hobey Baker Award finalist since Bobby Brink in 2022.
Buium also shined internationally. At the 2025 World Junior Championship (U20) in Ottawa, he helped Team USA win gold for the second consecutive year, contributing two goals and four assists in seven games. A few months later, from May 9 to 25, he joined the senior national team for the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark.
There, he recorded a goal and three assists across eight games and played a role in helping the US win its first IIHF Men’s World Championship gold since 1933. He notched points in three consecutive games, including a key goal against Finland.
Commemorating his journey, Buium has a tattoo in Hebrew on his left forearm marking the dates of his U18 World Junior Championship and his NCAA Division I title with Denver.
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On April 13, 2025, Buium officially signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild, worth approximately $2.9 million with performance bonuses and an annual cap hit of $966,500. He made his debut in historic fashion, becoming the first player in Wild history to debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
His parents, Sorin and Miriam, and his brother Ben were in attendance on April 20 to witness the moment. Although Buium didn’t register a point in his first game – logging 13 minutes and 23 seconds in a 4–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights – he made a strong impression.
When asked by the Atlanta Jewish Times about his biggest takeaway from the experience, Buium responded: “Everything. I mean, the crowd was pretty amazing, playing in a game like that. Those are the crowds you dream of playing in… I think just being out there and seeing the atmosphere was pretty amazing.”
He made his first tangible impact in Game 3, assisting on a goal by Kirill Kaprizov to earn his first NHL point. Minnesota ultimately fell to Vegas in six games.
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Zeev Buium stands as a symbol of hope and pride for Israelis and Jews around the world. His influence off the ice is just as meaningful as his performance on it. While hockey is central to his life, he embraces his Jewish identity with conviction. As he told The Hockey News, “I’m a proud Jew,” adding, “I’m proud to be Jewish.”
The values passed down by his parents continue to shape how he lives, leads, and plays – with purpose, pride, and perseverance.