Zeev Buium Debut Foiled by Return of Injured MN Wild Defensemen

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Zeev Buium - Minnesota Wild
Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Wild will play the final game of their 2024-25 regular season tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, and they have yet to qualify for the 2025 NHL Playoffs, which begin later this week. But the Wild hold their own destiny.

All they need Tuesday is one point. If they can get to overtime vs the Ducks, Minnesota will officially make their 10th playoff appearance in the past 12 seasons. On paper, the Wild — who are heavy -260 favorites — should be able to secure an easy victory tonight over a hapless 35-37-8 Ducks team already thinking about the offseason.

Zeev Buium will NOT debut for Minnesota Wild on Tuesday

So, the Wild are not taking any chances. After signing his entry-level contract Sunday, former Denver Pioneer superstar Zeev Buium — the No. 2 overall prospect in the NHL (according to The Athletic) — is not in the Minnesota Wild lineup for tonight’s regular season finale.

The decision is understandable, considering the circumstances mentioned above. As much as the Wild would like to see their shiny new toy in action, it’s too risky inserting him into a brand new lineup with a bunch of teammates he’s never even met, given a playoff berth is on the line.

Tuesday morning, Wild head coach John Hynes called it an “easy” decision to scratch Buium, not only because of the stakes tonight, but also because he just arrived and has yet to participate in a practice with his new team.

Buium could make debut during NHL Playoffs…?

Common sense says that, if he isn’t playing tonight, we probably won’t see Zeev take the ice in a Wild sweater until the start of the 2025-26 season, right? Maybe not. Hynes went on to tell reporters that the 19-year-old Buium could make his NHL debut in the playoffs, should Minnesota make win tonight.

But wait, because I know Minnesota Wild fans will be disappointed that they cannot see Zeev Buium make his NHL debut Tuesday. There was more news that came from today’s press conference with John Hynes.

Related: Wild Division Rival Weirdly Obsessed with Minnesota at NHL Trade Deadline

Part of the reason why their top overall prospect isn’t playing vs the Ducks is because the Wild have gotten healthier since Sunday, when they played without two of their top defensemen vs the Vancouver Canucks.

Jared Spurgeon, Jake Middleton returning for MN Wild

Captain Jared Spurgeon was hit in the throat with a puck on Friday, which resulted in his absence Sunday. Meanwhile, Jake Middleton has been out of the lineup since April 4 with an upper body injury, after he took a nasty head-first spill into the boards 1.5 weeks ago vs the New York Islanders.

So, while we all wanted to see Zeev Buium, it’s a good thing he isn’t playing tonight. Had either Middleton or Spurgeon not been able to go Tuesday, it’d be interesting to know whether or not the kid would have gotten a chance. No matter, because in this reality, he’ll be up in the press box.

This season, Jake Middleton (29 y/o) has played in 66 of the Wild’s 77 games, racking up 20 points on eight goals and 12 assists. His 95 shots are a career high, as is his 21:56 TOI. Jared Spurgeon has played 65 games, potting 7 goals and helping on 25 more. He’s averaging a career-low 20:26 TOI.

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