Whatever the surroundings, Buium likes to compete and expects numerous himself – particularly relating to his personal improvement. The 22-year-old defenseman, chosen by the Purple Wings with the No. 36 general choose within the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, had 25 factors (two objectives, 23 assists) in 67 regular-season video games with the Griffins in 2024-25.
“Final 12 months was a studying 12 months for me,” Buium stated. “Faculty hockey and professional hockey are very completely different, so simply studying the professional recreation and getting snug there. I acquired higher because the season went on. I’m simply actually excited for this 12 months, to do what I can do and attempt to make it to the NHL.”
For Buium, the largest adjustment to skilled hockey following his three seasons (2021-24) on the College of Denver was understanding the true energy of the correlation between off-ice work and on-ice efficiency.
“Caring for your physique and what you’re doing away from the rink,” Buium stated. “You play on Friday, Saturday in faculty then you’ve gotten an entire week off. You play 36 regular-season video games and each recreation is a playoff recreation [in college], but it surely’s not as taxing on the physique as professional hockey. Right here, you be taught, most likely midway by the season, that you need to be dialed on a regular basis. There aren’t any off days.”
