SportsHockeyCanucks

Sedins are already impressed by Buium's Canucks leadership qualities

Daniel Wagner
Daniel Wagner
|
Sep 8 2026, 7:39 pm
Sedins are already impressed by Buium's Canucks leadership qualities
Bob Frid/Imagn Images

The Vancouver Canucks turned heads last week when they made Zeev Buium the highest-paid defenceman in franchise history.

With a cap hit of $9.38 million, Buium would have the 11th-highest cap hit among NHL defencemen if his contract kicked in this season rather than in 2027-28. That’s a hefty payday for a player who has only played 80 total games in the NHL across the regular season and playoffs.

It’s a testament to how much the Canucks believe in what the 20-year-old defenceman can bring to the team, both on and off the ice.

During an appearance on the season premiere of Donnie and Dhali on CHEK, Canucks co-president of hockey operations Daniel Sedin explained that the team sees Buium as a key component of the team’s future leadership core.

“Me and Henrik, what we saw from Zeev last year being down in the locker room, I think he brings a lot of things that we want from our players from the leadership standpoint,” said Daniel, emphasizing Buium’s commitment to improving the Canucks organization.

“Just how he acts coming to the rink,” Daniel continued. “He worries more about his teammates than wanting to get better. I think that’s part of what you want to see in a locker room, that when you walk into the rink, you don’t worry too much about yourself, but want others to become better players. I think that’s what we saw from him last year.”

That’s reflected in how Buium has talked about himself and the organization. He spoke repeatedly about wanting to play a role in changing the culture of the Canucks alongside the rest of the team’s young players, and he echoed those thoughts after signing his contract. He noted that he wasn’t just excited for himself, but about what it will mean for him and his teammates to shape the future of the Canucks as a whole.

“I think it’s really special that we’re in the position that we’re in, and we get to dictate what the Vancouver Canucks look like moving forward, what your seasons look like, wins, and losses, and the culture,” said Buium. “I think that’s a really unique position for all of us to be in.”

Of course, if Buium was only being paid for his leadership, he wouldn’t be worth locking up for eight years. Buium also has the upside to be a top-pairing defenceman for the Canucks for years to come, and the mental makeup to fulfill that potential.

“Really impressed with him as a person,” said Daniel. “We see a lot of growth in him as a player too — how hard he works in practice, how dedicated he is to this profession.”

ADVERTISEMENT