Zeev Buium has proven he can win at every level.
The end of December is a special time for the hockey world. Every year, fans get a glimpse into the future in the form of the World Juniors. For Vancouver Canucks fans, they will have their eyes on three players in the 2026 tournament as Braeden Cootes, Wilson Björck and Basile Sansonnens have all been selected to represent their countries.
With the limited age window, winning two Gold Medals is a challenge few have achieved. Not even players like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Alexander Ovechkin have more than one Gold despite playing in the tournament multiple years. In total, only four defensemen who are active on NHL rosters are part of the double Gold club, which includes Vancouver's newest acquisition.
That is right, Zeev Buium is one of the few members of the double Gold club. As for the other three defensemen that are on the list, they are Kris Letang, Olen Zellweger and Ethan Del Mastro. All played for Team Canada, with Zellweger and Del Mastro winning as teammates in 2022 and 2023.
Buium picked up Golds at both the 2024 and 2025 tournaments. Over his 14 games, he recorded 11 points, which included picking up two assists in the Gold Medal game against Finland this past January. Buium's five career goals are tied for 13th all-time among defensemen in the tournament history, while his 11 points are tied for 44th.
Whenever Buium puts on the Team USA jersey, he finds a way to win Gold. On top of his two World Juniors, he has also won Gold at the U18s and World Championship. The World Championship in 2025 is significant as it was Team USA's first Gold Medal at the tournament since 1933.
The question now is, can Buium transfer his winning ways to the Canucks organization? He is a talented player who, at just 20 years old, is already showing he can play top minutes in the NHL. While the future is unknown, one clear thing is that Vancouver acquired a winner who is going to play a significant role within the organization for the foreseeable future.
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Category: General Sports
