The Chicago Blackhawks have two first-round selections, one at #2 and the other at #18. While it will likely be the pick of Artyom Levshunov or Ivan Demidov at number two, who could they take at that 18th spot or conceivably trade up a few more spots to snag? Chicago Hockey Now’s Future Blackhawks Prospect will feature a handful of prospects at that position until the 2024 NHL Draft. Today we look at Zeev Buium.
Zeev Buium At A Glance Defense
18 years old (12/7/05)
Games: 42 Goals-Assists-Points: 11-39-50
League/Team: NCAA/Denver
One of the top draft prospects in 2024 is Denver defenseman Zeev Buium. He was one of the finest at his position all season long. That doesn’t go for just NCAA competitors either. That applies for all draft-eligible prospects that play the position of defense.
Buium and the Pioneers just claimed the NCAA National Championship with a big win over the big bad Boston College Eagles. To get there, they took down the equally as scary Boston University in what was one of the all-time best college runs.
Buium was the greatest player on the team all year long. They saw him develop as a defender which is very essential but he also put up a ton of points.
His 39 assists were fourth in the country. He only had fewer assists than Will Smith and Gabe Perreault (two top-ten selections playing for Boston College) who are both forwards with incredible pedigree. His 50 total points also rated 10th in the nation with the nine ahead of him all being forwards. To say it was a fantastic year would be an understatement.
His production didn’t stop in college either. Buium was one of the top defensemen to compete in the 2023-24 IIHF World Junior Championships. In the seven games that led Team USA to a Gold Medal, Buium had three goals and two assists for five points. He also took care of the finest junior prospects on opposing teams.
There aren’t many prospects who saw their draft position rise more than Zeev Buium. He was as outstanding as they come. No matter where he went, he made an impact and that is what teams look for in NHL players to go with their talent. Someone is going to be receiving a superstar here.
Will Zeev Buium Be There for the Blackhawks?
Zeev Buium will certainly not be there for the Chicago Blackhawks at number 18. He will be gone before the top ten is entirely selected and it should surprise nobody if he goes into the top five. It is highly unlikely that Kyle Davidson would be willing to trade the necessary assets to trade 18 high enough either.
With that said, there is no reason that they shouldn’t contemplate Buium with the second overall pick. We know that Macklin Celebrini will go first to the San Jose Sharks but it is a bit of a conundrum after that.
A majority of people assume that one of Ivan Demidov or Michigan State’s Artyom Levshynov will go in that second spot. Demidov is a forward and Levshynov is a defenseman like Buium. Levshynov hasn’t done anything close to what Buium did offensively in the NCAA but that doesn’t mean that they defend the same way.
However, it just feels like there is a possibility that Buium has a higher ceiling as a number-one defenseman in the NHL. If the Hawks see it that way, they should not hesitate to select him with the second-overall pick. Some individuals might think it is crazy but every team that passes him (except San Jose) could regret it.
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