As the Canucks were on the road to face the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, there was a notable absence from the lineup in the form of 20-year old defenceman Zeev Buium.
Buium was one of the top pieces acquired from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes trade last month, and as a team that is in the basement of the standings and unlikely to make their way out, this is the kind of move that raises more questions than answers.
Why do this?
Do the Canucks have any real cause to scratch Buium? Probably not, given their aforementioned team outlook and position in the standings.
Buium actually started his Canucks tenure quite well, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 2-1 win during his team debut last month, but has struggled as of late with just one point in his last eight games and a plus minus rating of minus eight in that time.
That being said, the young defenceman is averaging 20:42 of ice time in 13 games with the Canucks, while playing alongside Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers and Tom Willander, and also seeing some top unit power play time.
Per Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote on Buium: “There’s been talks all year, if we get to a situation where we have a lot of defence that are young,” and that “we have to watch them because it could be overwhelming, so just a reset for Zeev.” Foote went on to say “You have seen young defenceman in the past in the NHL, you get put in too early sometimes or don’t get a reset” and that it is “part of teaching and development.”
Buium is back?
Given the rigours of playing in the NHL, I think that Foote’s reasoning is well founded. Tom Willander has been scratched tonight, further lamenting Foote’s belief in what he is saying with regards to the exposure and development of his young defencemen.
Buium just turned 20-years old last month and was playing in college just last season, so obviously this is a big jump for him, and a major adjustment given his trade to Vancouver.
Buium is back in the lineup tonight against the Ottawa Senators.