Red Wings prospect Shai Buium reflects on his journey from NCAA champion to AHL standout in exclusive interview with The Hockey News.
On Wednesday afternoon, The Hockey News had an exclusive sit-down interview with Red Wings prospect Shai Buium. The San Diego native is looking to make an impact at upcoming training camp and potentially push for a main roster spot.
Before being selected in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Buium was a standout defenseman at the University of Denver, recording 14 goals and 61 assists for 75 points with a +61 rating in 120 games across three seasons. His collegiate career was very successful as he was a part of two National Championship wins with the Pioneers in 2022 and 2024.
Shai Buium(2nd round’21 for Denver) picks up an assist 🍏 on the goal that gives Denver the lead in the national championship game. #LGRW
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) April 13, 2024
pic.twitter.com/ZAIn1bZGf8
While spending his off-season in sunny California, Buium noted that his goal for the season is to continue growing as a player and become a true difference maker wherever he plays.
“I'm always going to training camp thinking in the back of my mind, I want to make it a hard decision for them to send me down to the AHL obviously,” Buium explained “Goals for the season, largely to be the best player on the Griffins, best defenseman on the Griffins, and try to work my way up to the NHL and just keep developing my game so when I get to the NHL I'm ready to go."
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Buium’s confidence in his game is noticeable by his peers as Griffins Assistant Coach Brian Lashoff noted Buium is one of the players to watch for the Griffins heading into next season. Buium noted that he appreciated his coach’s comments and that to hear things like that from his coach and a former longtime pro defenseman is very flattering but noted there’s “still a lot of work to do.”
Lashoff and Griffins Head Coach Dan Watson noted in previous interviews with The Hockey News that Buium progressed as the season went along with Lashoff explaining that towards the end of the season, he trusted him with “big minutes” in key situations. The 22-year-old defenseman finished with a pair of goals and 23 assists for 25 goals through 67 games played. He described the transition from the NCAA to the AHL as “a little more systematic” and that the talent in the league was evident from the start.
SHAI BUIUM FIRST PRO GOAL🚨 #LGRW#GoGRGpic.twitter.com/wOzjqWpAfm
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) March 4, 2025
“Everybody's really good, like the fourth line through the first line, everyone's a good player, everyone's got good sticks, everyone knows how to use their body well, so just maneuvering through that and just learning the game, it's a little bit quicker,” Buium said “Pucks are going to the net, you have to be really good at box outs, in the corners, just little things that you maybe get away with sometimes in college, if you're maybe being lazy, or you're out of position, you can't be out of position in pro hockey."
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Buium attributed his style of play to being a two-way defenseman that can transition well and move the puck while also not trying to model his game too much after one specific player.
"Not gonna lie, I don't like to model my game after specific guys. I just like to watch the best guys in the NHL and just pick things from them,” Buium stated “You go watch [Jaccob] Slavin and how good he is defensively, and then you go pick up things from a more offensive defenseman and then you learn those things in the ozone and their transition play but just try to pick up things from everybody.”
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If he can continue his steady progression and turn into one of the most impactful defenseman on the Griffins like he hopes, Buium could get a look on the Red Wings main roster. Detroit finished bottom 12 in defense last season and with a young player that is hungry, looking to make an impact, he could make a lasting impression with bench boss Todd McLellan and carve himself out a role.
Buium finished off the interview by showing admiration towards the University of Denver during his time there when asked about some of his favourite moments as a Pioneer.
“Oh, it was super fun obviously, you're playing hockey with some of your best friends you made in school and winning championships, there's nothing better,” Buium explained “Had the best, best times of my life playing hockey there, I got to play a year with my brother, win a championship with him, so I’m really grateful for that part of my life."
From a brief chat with Buium, he comes across as a fun-loving Californian who simply wants to play hockey, excel at it, and spend quality time with the people he cares about when off the ice. In the off-season, he explained he enjoys golfing, after recently picking it up as a hobby, and relaxing on California beaches with “good people that can have good conversations.” Based on even a short interaction, it’s easy to see why Detroit fans should be excited to cheer him on and hope he makes a strong impact on the franchise.
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