Vancouver Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson was excited to announce an eight-year contract extension for defenceman Zeev Buium late Friday afternoon.
The 20-year-old defenceman is in the final year of his entry-level deal and signed an eight-year extension with an average annual value of 9.38 million dollars.
“We’ve seen his journey over the years, partly last year, not just his play, but who he is as a person,” said Johnson. “He brought such an energy and a leadership-type quality that you really don’t find in a lot of 20-year-olds, which is astonishing.”
Johnson said the organization wanted to get aggressive enough with their approach to the contract and was aware of how the NHL contract landscape is moving. Buium could only sign an eight-year extension until September 16th, when the league’s new seven-year extension maximum was to kick in.
“We felt strongly in Zeev and his pedigree. He’s a proven winner. This contract isn’t about Zeev the player today or tomorrow, it’s where we see him in three, four, and five years. So, it was something that we felt if both sides could come to an agreement and make a commitment to each other, that was something we’d be excited to get done,” said Johnson.
Buium also spoke to the media Friday evening, and he began by talking about his excitement to be a Canuck.
“I’m just thrilled. I can’t thank RJ, the Sedins, and all of them enough. And obviously the Aquilini family as well. So, I’m just so thrilled, and I can’t wait for the next nine years,” said Buium.
When asked about the pressure that comes with a contract of this magnitude, Buium said that nobody puts more pressure on him than himself and that he has always believed in himself and the staff around him here with the Canucks' organization.
“Only good things are to come, and I think pressure is also a privilege in a way, and to be able to have that means you’re probably doing something right,” he said. “It’s something I take as a challenge, and I’m going to try doing my best with it.”
When asked about the large commitment, Buium said it was ultimately an easy decision for him to lock down this length of an extension in Vancouver.
“It was pretty easy for me. When they came with the offer, it wasn’t a hard decision to make,” said Buium.
“Personally, I wanted to be here for eight years. I didn’t want it to be shorter, and I’m really glad. I love the city. I love the fanbase. I love where this organization is going, and like I said, I want to be a Canuck. I want to be here, and hopefully the end goal is obviously a Stanley Cup.”
Buium has become a crucial piece of this Canucks' young core and will continue to grow as a leader and player. He will turn 21 in December, and though he has played only 76 regular-season games, he has won two gold medals at the World Junior Championships, one at the World Championships, and was an NCAA champion in 2024.
