It’s the NHL offseason and the Minnesota Wild’s development camp is in full swing. However, the ice sheet at TRIA Rink in St. Paul remained untouched on Wednesday as the team is taking an off-ice approach to camp.
***Click the video box above to watch Wild rookie defenseman Zeev Buium talk about development camp and the upcoming NHL season***
The Wild’s top young talent, like rookie defenseman Zeev Buium, have spent time during camp working on hockey-related skills while also participating in team-bonding activities like go-karting and golfing. The young players spoke to reporters at TRIA Rink on Wednesday afternoon and KSTP Sports was there.
Buium said he was very confident heading into September’s training camp based on his recent success. The 19-year-old has built an outstanding resume in the past year and a half — highlighted by three international gold medals with Team USA, an NCAA national championship with the University of Denver and an NHL debut in the playoffs.
“I’m so lucky to be a part of teams like that,” Buium said. “It makes me more grateful and understanding of how hard it is.”
While he’s seen a lot of wins, Buium said he’s recently learned a lot about being on the other side of the glory. In April, he played in four of the Wild’s six games in their first-round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights after his Denver Pioneers lost in the NCAA Frozen Four to the eventual national champions, Western Michigan.
Now focused on the Wild and his NHL development, Buium said he wants to play a full season in the league this upcoming year.
“I do think there is an opportunity for me to step in and be a player on the team,” Buium said. “I don’t just want to be a guy who’s out there — but help this team win. So, I’m going to do whatever I can to do that.”
Buium was drafted 12th overall in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Since he played in Minnesota’s last playoff series, he now enters the second year of his entry level contract.
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