LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of Denver hockey program had five student-athletes chosen on Friday and Saturday at the 2024 NHL Draft at the Sphere. It is the third time in the last four years that DU has had at least five players selected and the fifth time overall in school history (also 2005, 2006, 2021, 2022).
 
Denver rising sophomore Zeev Buium was the first Pioneer off the board at No. 12 overall by the Minnesota Wild in the first round on Friday night, becoming fifth-ever Round 1 selection and the second-highest draft pick in school history.
 
Four incoming freshmen were drafted on Saturday morning, beginning with a pair of forwards selected in the fourth round with Jake Fisher at No. 121 by the Colorado Avalanche and Hagen Burrows at No. 128 by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Avs added a second DU player to their draft class by choosing defenseman Tory Pitner at No. 185 overall in the sixth round. Forward Jame Reeder rounded out the Pioneers being selected by the Los Angeles Kings at No. 198 in round 7.
 
Buium recorded the first 50-point season by a Denver freshman in 40 years (1983-84, John McMillan, 57; Dwight Mathiasen, 51) after leading the team with 39 assists and adding 11 goals as the second-youngest player in college hockey in 2023-24. His 50 points ranked second on the Pioneers and marked the sixth time a D-man reached the half-century threshold in the program's 75-year history and was just the third such instance by a freshman rear guard.
 
A first-team All-American, Buium was DU's first freshman defenseman to earn the national accolade and the Pios' first rookie since forward Henrik Borgstrom (first team) in 2017. The San Diego, California, native helped the Pioneers win their NCAA-record 10th national championship in April and earned a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team. He was also recognized as the NCHC Rookie of the Year, NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year and was a finalist for the Tim Taylor Award as the national rookie of the year.
 
Fisher totaled 47 points (23g/24a) in 51 regular-season games last year with the United States Hockey League's Fargo Force, finishing top five on the team in both points and goals. He added four goals and two assists in 12 playoff contests, helping Fargo win the Clark Cup championship. The Woodbury, Minnesota native spent the majority of the 2022-23 campaign serving as team captain of Cretin-Derham Hall High School where he had 62 points (34g/28a) in 29 games and was a finalist for the Mr. Hockey award in Minnesota.
 
Burrows was named Mr. Hockey in Minnesota in 2023-24 and was also awarded the Metro Player of the Year and the Associated Press's Minnesota Player of the Year awards. He recorded 59 points on 19 goals and 40 assists in 28 prep games last season with Minnetonka High School while also splitting the campaign with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL. With Sioux City, he totaled 22 points (9g/13a) in 25 regular-season contests and added two goals and two assists in eight postseason outings.
 
Pitner spent the past two seasons with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms and recorded 24 points (8g/16a) in 50 games as a D-man alternate captain in 2023-24. The El Cerrito, California, native won the USHL Clark Cup championship with Youngstown in 2022-23, which featured him recording nine assists in 36 outings during the regular season while also appearing in nine playoff contests.
 
Reeder was among the top scorers on the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2023-24, registering 60 points on 20 goals and 40 assists while also serving as an alternate captain. The Glenville, Illinois, native had five points (1g/4a) in 11 USHL Clark Cup Playoff games as the Fighting Saints finished runner-up to a championship behind Jake Fisher's Fargo Force squad. Overall, Reeder totaled 94 points on 35 goals and 59 assists in 114 career USHL games over two season with Dubuque.
 
The Pioneers' five selection this weekend bring their overall total to 136 players in program history. DU has had at least one player chosen in each of the last 23 drafts since 2002.
 
 
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