DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted an article in which he discusses Red Wings prospect and 2021 draft pick Shai Buium, who said this about having won an NCAA Division 1 hockey championship during his freshman season at the University of Denver:
“I wanna be a role model for the freshmen,” said Buium, who was the Detroit Red Wings’ 36th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. “We have two new incoming defensemen that I want to show them the way, hopefully pick up a bigger role and do the same thing. It’s hard to win, so we’re gonna try to do that again.”
This past season, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound blue line prospect registered 18 points (3-15-18) in 39 games with Denver, including a plus-20 rating. He also was named the NCHC Rookie of the Week on Feb. 14.
“I’m really happy about the way that I’ve developed my defensive game,” Buium said about his 2021-22 campaign. “The coaches and all the other D-men on the team have helped me a lot, especially at the start where you’re learning the new game of college and getting used to it.”
Before stepping on Denver’s campus, Buium tallied four goals and 22 assists in 50 games with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers in 2020-21.
The 19-year-old said he views himself as an offensive defenseman.
“I like to get creative in the offensive zone, make plays and try to score goals as much as I can,” Buium said. “But I like to pass the puck.”
