DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today activated defenseman Shai Buium from injured non-roster and assigned him to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
Buium, 22, skated in his rookie season with the Griffins in 2024-25 and ranked among the team’s leading defensemen with two goals (T4th), 23 assists (2nd), 25 points (2nd), a plus-two rating (T3rd), 22 penalty minutes (4th), two power play goals (1st), 11 power play points (1st) and 80 shots (3rd) in 67 regular-season games. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound blueliner also played in three Calder Cup Playoff games. Selected by the Red Wings in the second round (36th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Buium made his professional debut with the Griffins on April 19, 2024 against the Iowa Wild. He is the older brother of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium, who was originally selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (12th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Prior to turning professional, Buium spent three seasons at the University of Denver from 2021-24, recording 75 points (14-61-75), a plus-61 rating and 44 penalty minutes in 120 games. Buium earned All-NCHC Second Team honors as a junior after tallying 36 points (7-29-36), a plus-33 rating and 14 penalty minutes in 43 games during the 2023-24 season, helping the Pioneers capture their second NCAA Division I national championship in a three-year span. Buium was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in 2021-22 after logging 18 points (3-15-18), a plus-20 rating and 12 penalty minutes in 39 games, winning a national title along with Detroit prospects Carter Mazur (70th overall/2021) and Antti Tuomisto (35th overall/2019). Buium also played in parts of two seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers in the United States Hockey League from 2019-21. The San Diego, Calif., native was selected to the USHL’s Second All-Rookie Team in 2020-21 after collecting 26 points (4-22-26), a plus-16 rating and 27 penalty minutes in 50 regular-season games, in addition to three points (1-2-3) in four postseason contests.
