Zeev Buium Set for Wild NHL Debut in Intense Playoff Opener Against Vegas
Alright, picture this: it's the bright lights of Las Vegas, the crowd is buzzing, and Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round is about to get underway between the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights. Now, here’s the twist—making his NHL debut in the middle of all this playoff chaos is a 19-year-old kid, Zeev Buium. And not just any debut—he’s the first player in Wild history to make his debut in the playoffs . That’s right, no warmup regular season games. Straight into the fire.
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Buium’s story is pretty incredible. Drafted 12th overall by Minnesota just last year, this guy had an absolute standout college season with the University of Denver. We're talking 48 points in 41 games, nearly 27 minutes of ice time per night, and accolades left and right—First Team All-American, NCHC Player of the Year, and finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. You name it, he probably made the list. And now he’s going to be on the ice at T-Mobile Arena, paired with veteran Zach Bogosian, who’s got 17 seasons under his belt. Talk about mentorship on the fly.
Zeev is handling it like a pro, though—he's thankful, he's fired up, and yeah, he joked about whether he has to do the traditional rookie lap despite it being a road playoff game. He’s ready to do whatever the team asks. His teammates are backing him too. Jared Spurgeon, the Wild’s captain, said it’s a moment he’ll never forget. And it’s clear they believe in what he can bring—offensively and emotionally.
But this game is much bigger than just one player. The Wild are looking for redemption. Last time these two teams met in the playoffs, Minnesota got edged out in seven games. They also dropped all three regular-season games to Vegas this year, so there’s definitely a chip on their shoulder. The good news? Key players like Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are healthy again and heating up at the right time. Kaprizov, despite missing 41 games, had six points in his last six. Eriksson Ek scored that clutch goal that got them into this playoff matchup.
Vegas, on the other hand, is coming in sharp and disciplined. They had the fewest minor penalties in the entire league—just 174—and were lethal on the power play, converting at over 28%. So if Minnesota takes unnecessary penalties, it could cost them big. Coach Bruce Cassidy of the Golden Knights said it best: he wants his guys amped up but composed. No heroes, no chasing hits. Just play their game.
So what should fans be watching tonight? Besides Buium, of course, it’s going to be all about composure, physicality, and smart hockey. The Golden Knights are nearly unbeatable when they’re leading after two periods—they went 31-4-3 in those situations during the regular season. That means Minnesota has to come out strong, stay aggressive, and make sure they’re not playing catch-up late in the game.
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