LAS VEGAS — It took a little longer than most experts projected, but Zeev Buium’s NHL dreams came true Friday night.

The Minnesota Wild selected Buium with the 12th overall pick of the 2024 NHL draft at The Sphere just off the Las Vegas Strip. The University of Denver defenseman will eventually play his home games in the same building where he just won the 2024 NCHC and NCAA championships in March and April.

Minnesota originally had the No. 13 pick, but traded up a spot before selecting Buium.

“Seeing them trade up, I had a pretty good feeling that it could be me,” he said. “I couldn’t be more honored for them to make that decision to go up and get me.”

Buium became the fifth player selected in the first round in DU program history and the first Pioneers player to go in the first round since Henrik Borgstrom in 2016.

A San Diego native, Buium had an incredible year ahead of this draft. He was the No. 1 defenseman on the NCAA-champion Pioneers, helping DU knock off Boston University and Boston College at the Frozen Four to claim the program’s record 10th title. Before that, he won a gold medal with Pios coach David Carle and the United States at the IIHF U-20 World Junior Championship in January.

Buium began the season as a potential first-round pick, but his great freshman year and solid work at the WJC helped him steadily climb draft boards to where he was projected as a likely top-10 selection and even into the top-five on some experts’ draft lists.

“I think for me, I’m not really looking at that,” Buium said about a question related to the other high-profile defensemen who went high in the draft. “I was just waiting for the team that wants me for who I am as a person and a player. I’m very fortunate the Minnesota Wild traded up to pick me.”

There were multiple surprises in the top 10, which in part led to Buium sliding to No. 12.

“My mind was thinking with every pick, that’s just another log on the fire for his fuel, knowing how competitive he is,” DU coach David Carle said. “And I think the Wild got a really good player at No. 12.”

Buium had 11 goals and 50 points in 42 games for the Pios. Not only did he prove to be an offensive dynamo at the college level, but he earned praise for his 200-foot game and ability to defend players who were older, bigger and stronger than him.

Buium is expected to return to the Pios for his sophomore season. He had approximately 80 friends and family members in attendance, including older brother Shai, another defenseman on this year’s DU title team who was drafted in the second round by Detroit in 2021. They coordinated a hearty “Zeev! Zeev! Zeev!” chant shortly after his selection.

“It just felt so special,” Buium said. “To hug my mom and my dad, they made so many sacrifices for my brothers and I. Then to hug my two brothers, who mentored me this entire time, it feels even better.

“It’s a moment I can’t fully explain, but it was awesome.”

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