VANCOUVER — Macklin Celebrini and Zeev Buium are good friends.

That was evident before the 2024 Draft, when Celebrini and the new Vancouver Canucks defenseman traded humorous barbs, whenever interviewed. Well, that was more Buium.

“How does it feel to never win anything?” Buium asked Macklin Celebrini, when Celebrini took the podium for a mock press conference before the 2024 Draft.

Buium’s got another one on the San Jose Sharks superstar.

Buium and his teams have now outclassed Celebrini and Canada four times: The 2023 U-18 World Championships, the 2024 World Junior Championships, the 2024 NCAA Championship, and the 2025 World Championships.

San Jose Hockey Now caught up with Buium today, in his first practice in his new home, since he was traded from the Minnesota Wild to the Canucks in the Quinn Hughes blockbuster.

Buium discusses his relationship with Celebrini and Will Smith, thinking about playing with them as the 2024 Draft unfolded, and if Celebrini chirped him back after the San Jose Sharks’ two OT victories over the Wild this season.

Buium, on Macklin Celebrini back in Shattuck:

He’s the same. I mean, I didn’t know him too well at that time, but he’s just an awesome guy. So energetic, so humble, and full of life. You see what he does out there, so that speaks for itself, but he’s an incredible person.

Buium, on whether it crossed his mind, when the San Jose Sharks had the No. 11 pick in the 2024 Draft, that it would be cool if the Sharks had picked him:

I mean, I know Will Smith really well, and he was there. It’s something we joke about, like “Oh, what could have been.” But it’s a joke, and it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.

I was happy with everything that happened, and obviously wouldn’t be here today if that didn’t happen. They got a great player over there in [Sam] Dickinson and it for sure would have been fun to play with them, but I think everything happens for a reason.

Buium, on chirping Celebrini before the Draft that he had never won anything, and if he repeated that after beating Celebrini at World Championships:

Oh yeah, oh yeah, me and Will both let him know. (laughs)

Buium, on if Celebrini returned the chirp when he scored the OT winner over Buium’s then-team, the Minnesota Wild, in October:

He wouldn’t do that. I think if it was Smitty, on the other hand, it’d probably be a case where he’d be giving it to me, but Macklin wouldn’t do that.

Buium, on any stories about Macklin from Shattuck:

I was in a grade above him at the time, so I never really was with him at all. It was also COVID year the year he was there—he was obviously in a different dorm than I was, and it was COVID, so we couldn’t really see everybody.

But even still, there’s not many funny stories, he just works so hard. He’s always the guy at the rink early in the morning. Optional ice, he’s always there, always in the gym. It’s not a surprise to me at all what he’s doing. He works hard for it.

Buium, on asking Celebrini about Vancouver, after the trade:

He texted me. We were on the phone and he was like, “You’re coming to my hometown.” He just told me I was going to love it and how much there is to do here and how great of a city it is. He definitely pumped it up, for sure.