Canucks: How Zeev Buium builds bond with young blueliners off the ice

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‘We’re all on the same page and have the same energy. We want to be here for each other, lean on each other, and we’re going through the same things’ — Zeev Buium on young Canuck blueliners

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Published Mar 15, 2026 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute read

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alt text Defenceman Zeev Buium of the Vancouver Canucks gets a leg up on forward Chandler Stephenson of the Seattle Kraken during second period Saturday at Rogers Arena. Photo by Derek Cain /Getty ImagesArticle content

Sometimes, the ties that bind are off the ice to create a brotherly bond.

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The ‘Breakfast Club’ was once a real deal for the Vancouver Canucks. Young and impressionable players, and one influential veteran, would regularly gather at a secret location to dish on their games and dig into a stack of waffles topped with strawberries, bananas and cream.

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What started out as former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes grabbing a bite with defensive partner Chris Tanev turned into urban legend because of devotion and undisclosed location.

“It’s a little hole in the wall and it’s nice. I’ll take anyone,” a 20 year-old Hughes once told Postmedia. “Tanev and me would go pretty much every other day. We just liked the place because it was so private. And then Petey (Elias Pettersson) would go and then Brock (Boeser), (Justin) Bailey, (Nils) Höglander, (Jack) Rathbone and (Will) Lockwood.”

The flashback is relevant because of what the current Canucks are enduring in a roster rebuild that’s taxing young players on every conceivable level. There’s pressure to perform, mature quickly, and become a catalyst to drive the franchise to better days.

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Rookie defenceman Zeev Buium, 20, has known nothing but winning with gold medals with the U.S. at the under-18 level, at the world juniors (twice) and the world championship. Losing is new. And so is finding his way along with blueliners Tom Willander, 21, and Elias Pettersson, 22, on the ice and in a new city.

Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright checks Vancouver Canucks blueliner Zeev Buium on Saturday at Rogers Arena. Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS

“In Minnesota, it was a veteran group and I love those guys,” Buium said Sunday following practice. “But they have kids and wives or girlfriends and are kind of past that college phase. They don’t want to hang out or play ping pong, or go mess around the town. With them (Willander, Pettersson) it’s kind of nice.

“I didn’t know much about Vancouver, but it’s beautiful. There’s a lot to do and I’ve had a blast. We’re all on the same page and have the same energy. We all want to be here for each other, lean on each other, and we’re going through the same things.”

The biggest is losing. It can crush confidence to make the right play at the right time and not be prone to turnovers and positional mistakes. And for Buium, a signature acquisition in the blockbuster Hughes trade, it’s embracing the building process.

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“It’s a long time since I’ve been on a team with a losing record — my U-17 year with USNTDP (U.S. National Team Development Program) we only won five games (actually just two) — so I know what the feeling is like,” said the San Diego native. “I also know what it’s like to stay with that same group and come out on top and feel that much better.

“We have a very motivated group here and a lot of young guys who want to succeed, so hopefully in the future we’ll bring it home.”

Which, of course, means making the most of every day. With 16 games remaining on the schedule, dialling into practice details and executing on a consistent basis take commitment. And for a blossoming blueliner like Buium, who has speed and elusiveness to effortlessly transition through zones, it’s knowing when to pick his offensive spots and not be vulnerable defensively.

“This whole year has been a lot of ups and downs and some games it’s like that,” Buium said of decision-making progress that’s led to fourth in rookie blueliner scoring with 22 points (5-17) in 60 games and also a rite-of-passage struggle with a minus-21 ranking. “Since the trade deadline, we’ve pieced together better games.

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“There’s a way better morale and energy. The environment is knowing these next six weeks there’s no more nonsense or craziness and we can just focus and not worrying about the guy next to you being gone tomorrow. That’s definitely a factor. We’re trying to prove ourselves and show what we can do at this level.

“These games are important for us with confidence and where you want to be personally at the end of the year and into the summer to be ready for next year.”

It’s also natural to gravitate toward established NHL defencemen and try to emulate their games.

“There are a few guys, and obviously, Quinn was one of them,” said Buium. “A guy like (Josh) Morrissey is someone I like to watch. He’s similar to me and uses a shorter stick as well. Just the way we skate is similar. And there’s Roman Josi. Every team we play, there’s a No. 1 guy like Rasmus Dahlin, who you grew up watching and it’s cool to play against them.

“When I played Cale Makar earlier this year, you can pick things up against them and try them out.”

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Canucks head coach Adam Foote said Buium is going through a learning process of trial and error on his offensive forays to build a complete game.

“He’s going to learn there are times when he’s feeling it, but I like how he’s not intimidated by the traffic,” said Foote. “He’s got the swagger to do it and the vision and ability. It’s managing the clock, who is opponents are, and who his teammates are for line changes.

“He’s a pretty bright guy and picks up on things to create separation. And his positional play in his own zone is pretty good.”

OVERTIME — Defenceman Elias Pettersson, who suffered a left-knee injury in the second period Saturday and didn’t return in a 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, was a practice participant Sunday. “I got banged up yesterday and they held me back and everything is fine now,” said Pettersson. “I just smashed my knee into the boards but I’m good to go.”

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