Shai Buium

American ice hockey player (born 2005)
Ice hockey player
Shai Buium
Born (2003-03-26) March 26, 2003 (age 21)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team		 Detroit Red Wings
Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)
NHL draft 36th overall, 2021
Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 2024–present

Shai Buium (born March 26, 2003) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college ice hockey at the University of Denver.

Playing career

Buium played two seasons for the Sioux City Musketeers. During the 2019–20 season, he recorded one assist in four games. During the 2020–21 season, in his first full season with the Musketeers, he recorded four goals and 22 assists in 50 regular season games and one goal and two assists in four playoff games. Following the season he was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team.[1][2] On July 24, 2021, he was drafted in the second round, 36th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2021 NHL entry draft.[3][4]

Buium began his collegiate career for the Denver Pioneers during the 2021–22 season. During his freshman year he recorded three goals and 15 assists in 39 games and helped Denver win the national championship.[5] He ranked third among defensemen in shots with 65 and added seven power-play assists, third-most among team defensemen. Following the season he was named to the All-NCHC Rookie Team.[6] During the 2022–23 season, in his sophomore year, he recorded four goals and 17 assists in 38 games. He ranked fourth on the team with 32 blocked shots.[1][7]

During the 2023–24 season, in his junior year, he recorded a career-high seven goals and 29 assists in 43 games. He ranked fifth on the team in scoring and tied for third in assists, both of which were the second-most by a Denver defenseman, trailing only his brother Zeev Buium. His 36 points ranked eighth in the NCAA among defensemen while his 29 assists tied for sixth. He finished the season with a +33 plus/minus rating, tied with his brother Zeev for the highest ever by a Pioneer since the statistic first began being tracked in 2005–06. During the national championship game at the 2024 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament he assisted on the game-winning goal against Boston College.[1] Following the season he was named to the All-NCHC Second Team.[8] He was also named a finalist for the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year and NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year.[9] He finished his collegiate career with 14 goals and 61 assists with a plus-61 rating in 120 games and won two national championships in three years with the Pioneers.[10][11]

On April 17, 2024, Buium signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings.[12][13] He also signed an amateur tryout (ATO) with the Red Wings' AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.[14][15] He made his professional debut for the Griffins on April 19, 2024, in a game against the Iowa Wild.[16]

Personal life

Buium was born to Israeli immigrants Sorin and Miriam Buium. His mother, Miriam, played professional basketball in Israel before an injury ended her playing career and she transitioned to a general manager.[17] Buium's younger brother, Zeev, is also a college ice hockey player at Denver[18][19] and a draft pick of the Minnesota Wild.

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2019–20 Sioux City Musketeers USHL 3 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
2020–21 Sioux City Musketeers USHL 50 4 22 26 27 4 1 2 3 0
2021–22 University of Denver NCHC 39 3 15 18 12 — — — — —
2022–23 University of Denver NCHC 38 4 17 21 18 — — — — —
2023–24 University of Denver NCHC 43 7 29 36 14 — — — — —
2023–24 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
AHL totals 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —

Awards and honors

Award Year
College
All-NCHC Rookie Team 2022 [20]
All-NCHC Second Team 2024 [8]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Shai Buium". denverpioneers.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  2. ^ "USHL Announces All-Rookie Teams for 2020-21 Season". USHL.com. June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  3. ^ Chambers, Mike (July 24, 2021). "DU freshman Shai Buium goes to Detroit Red Wings with 36th pick". The Denver Post. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  4. ^ Khan, Ansar (July 24, 2021). "San Diego native Shai Buium realizes dream being drafted by Red Wings". MLive.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  5. ^ "Denver takes down Minnesota State, 5-1, to win 2022 DI men's hockey national championshipNCAA". USHL.com. April 13, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Knabenbauer, Ron (March 17, 2022). "Bobby Brink Named NCHC Player of the Year, Two Other Pioneers Honored". denverpioneers.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  7. ^ Khan, Ansar (September 6, 2023). "Red Wings' former second-round pick Shai Buium braces for big year at Denver". MLive.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Weisman, Michael (March 13, 2024). "NCHC Unveils 2023-2024 All-Conference Teams". nchchockey.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Weisman, Michael (March 14, 2024). "Finalists for 2023-2024 NCHC Individual Awards Announced". nchchockey.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  10. ^ Knabenbauer, Ron (April 17, 2024). "Shai Buium Signs with Detroit Red Wings". denverpioneers.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Earegood, Connor (April 17, 2024). "Prospect Roundup: Fresh off DU's National Championship, Shai Buium Signs ELC with Red Wings". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Roth, Thomas (April 17, 2024). "Red Wings sign defenseman Shai Buium to three-year entry-level contract". NHL.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  13. ^ "DU hockey's Massimo Rizzo, Shai Buium sign entry-level NHL contracts". The Denver Post. April 17, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  14. ^ Streitel, Andrew (April 17, 2024). "Griffins Sign Two-Time NCAA Champion Shai Buium to ATO". griffinshockey.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Khan, Ansar (April 17, 2024). "Red Wings sign 2021 second-round pick Shai Buium, goes to GR on ATO". MLive.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  16. ^ Ryder, Dylan (April 19, 2024). "A Little Too Wild". griffinshockey.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  17. ^ Newman, Kyle (October 8, 2023). "For Buium brothers and DU hockey, this season is all about becoming college hockey's undisputed juggernaut". The Denver Post. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Twaro, Chad (January 11, 2024). "Sacrifice and Commitment: Buium Brothers' Unlikely Hockey Journey Pays Off". nchchockey.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Pike, Jordan (July 29, 2021). "Son of Israeli immigrants, hockey player Shai Buium to be drafted to NHL". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  20. ^ "Record four Pioneers, two Fighting Hawks recognized for strong freshman seasons". nchchockey.com. March 8, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database