Photo by: Jamie Schwaberow/Clarkson Creative Photography
Shai Buium Signs with Detroit Red Wings
4/17/2024 8:30:00 AM | (1) Ice Hockey
Defenseman recorded career highs in 2023-24 and won his second national title with DU hockey
DENVER – Defenseman Shai Buium of the University of Denver hockey team has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings beginning in 2024-25, the NHL club announced on Wednesday. He will report to the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign on an amateur tryout.
Â
Buium, 21, recorded career highs this season with seven goals, 29 assists and 36 points while appearing in 43-of-44 games. He finished fifth on the team in scoring and fourth in assists—both of which were the second-most by a Denver defenseman. He ended the campaign with a plus-33 plus/minus rating, tied with his brother, Zeev Buium, for the highest on the Pioneers.
Â
He also posted personal highs in shooting percentage (.111), power-play goals (3-tied) and game-winning goals (2). He recorded 14 penalty minutes and was second on DU with 46 blocked shots, tying a career high with three blocks in a game seven times during the campaign.
Â
Buium helped Denver win its NCAA-record 10th national championship this past season and his second as a Pioneer after also winning in 2022. He played in nine career NCAA Tournament contests at DU and recorded assists in both the 2022 and 2024 national championship games.
Â
The San Diego, California, native earned his first all-conference honors this past season by being recognized on the All-NCHC Second Team. He was also a finalist for both the NCHC Offensive Defenseman and Defensive Defenseman of the Year awards.
Â
Buium recorded two career-long six-game point streaks during the season, as he registered two goals and six assists from Nov. 30-Dec. 1 and three goals and five assists from Jan. 20-Feb. 16. He had a season-high and matched a career best with three points on (1g/2a) on Dec. 1 vs. North Dakota, one of eight multi-point outings for him during the season and helped him earn his first NCHC honor as Defenseman of the Week on Dec. 4.
Â
The blueliner scored in consecutive games for the first time in his career on Feb. 2-3 vs. Western Michigan and finished the campaign by recording 21 points (3g/18a) in the final 24 games in a stretch that began on Jan. 12 vs. St. Cloud State.
Â
Buium appeared in his 100th career contest on Jan. 20 at Omaha, and he recorded his 50th career point on Dec. 1 vs. North Dakota and 50th assist on Feb. 2 vs. Western Michigan.
Â
The junior finishes his collegiate career with 75 points in 120 games across three seasons, recording 14 goals and 61 assists. Buium recorded a then-personal-best 21 points (4g/17a) while playing in 38 games as a sophomore in 2022-23, and he was one of four DU players to be named to the 2021-22 NCHC All-Rookie Team after totaling 18 points (3g/15a) in 39 games during his first championship season.
Â
Buium was selected by Detroit the summer before his DU freshman campaign at No. 36 overall in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Â
The Grand Rapids Griffins presently have three other Pioneers on their roster with Josiah Didier (2011-2015), Carter Mazur (2021-2023) and Antti Tuomisto (2020-2022).
Â
Â
Buium, 21, recorded career highs this season with seven goals, 29 assists and 36 points while appearing in 43-of-44 games. He finished fifth on the team in scoring and fourth in assists—both of which were the second-most by a Denver defenseman. He ended the campaign with a plus-33 plus/minus rating, tied with his brother, Zeev Buium, for the highest on the Pioneers.
Â
He also posted personal highs in shooting percentage (.111), power-play goals (3-tied) and game-winning goals (2). He recorded 14 penalty minutes and was second on DU with 46 blocked shots, tying a career high with three blocks in a game seven times during the campaign.
Â
Buium helped Denver win its NCAA-record 10th national championship this past season and his second as a Pioneer after also winning in 2022. He played in nine career NCAA Tournament contests at DU and recorded assists in both the 2022 and 2024 national championship games.
Â
The San Diego, California, native earned his first all-conference honors this past season by being recognized on the All-NCHC Second Team. He was also a finalist for both the NCHC Offensive Defenseman and Defensive Defenseman of the Year awards.
Â
Buium recorded two career-long six-game point streaks during the season, as he registered two goals and six assists from Nov. 30-Dec. 1 and three goals and five assists from Jan. 20-Feb. 16. He had a season-high and matched a career best with three points on (1g/2a) on Dec. 1 vs. North Dakota, one of eight multi-point outings for him during the season and helped him earn his first NCHC honor as Defenseman of the Week on Dec. 4.
Â
The blueliner scored in consecutive games for the first time in his career on Feb. 2-3 vs. Western Michigan and finished the campaign by recording 21 points (3g/18a) in the final 24 games in a stretch that began on Jan. 12 vs. St. Cloud State.
Â
Buium appeared in his 100th career contest on Jan. 20 at Omaha, and he recorded his 50th career point on Dec. 1 vs. North Dakota and 50th assist on Feb. 2 vs. Western Michigan.
Â
The junior finishes his collegiate career with 75 points in 120 games across three seasons, recording 14 goals and 61 assists. Buium recorded a then-personal-best 21 points (4g/17a) while playing in 38 games as a sophomore in 2022-23, and he was one of four DU players to be named to the 2021-22 NCHC All-Rookie Team after totaling 18 points (3g/15a) in 39 games during his first championship season.
Â
Buium was selected by Detroit the summer before his DU freshman campaign at No. 36 overall in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Â
The Grand Rapids Griffins presently have three other Pioneers on their roster with Josiah Didier (2011-2015), Carter Mazur (2021-2023) and Antti Tuomisto (2020-2022).
Â
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS Â
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Hockey on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Hockey on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Hockey on Instagram
 Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Hockey on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Hockey on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Hockey on Instagram
Players Mentioned
Defenseman
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Defenseman
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Forward
/ (1) Ice HockeyThursday, September 10
Tuesday, June 30
Tuesday, June 30
Tuesday, June 30
