In his final games before World Juniors, Ziemer was coming off what Sabres director of player development Adam Mair called “his best weekend of the year.” Zimer had three goals in two games against No. 1 Michigan State.
“His game is really growing and he's feeling more comfortable at that level,” Mair said. “He's gaining trust in his coaches. He's getting a lot more ice than he did at the beginning of the year. He's playing all situations for that team, which is a top team in the country. He was on their first line. He's a versatile player, his work ethic is off the charts. He can really shoot the puck, his 200-foot details are excellent. He stops on plays, he finishes checks, he defends hard and with smarts.”
Even at just 18 years old, Ziemer has made an impression on Motzko due to his ability to be ready to go from the opening puck drop.
Because of this, Motzko has inserted Ziemer not only onto the top line, but onto special teams as well – duties that are more impressive when you consider that Minnesota is a top-three team in the country with NHL draft picks in addition to Ziemer.
“The one thing about him, he’s just Mr. Consistent and he’s got a motor, and his engine starts every night and he’s ready to go and with such great intensity,” Motzko said. “He’s tough. He’s going to bang people. It’s just such a high quality to have to know that he’s such a consistent performer with effort and grit and determination and that’s absolutely the way he’s been with us.”
Ziemer is used to a high level of competition, both in practice and in games, even at his young age. The Minnesota native spent the last two years playing for developmental programs within the United States national team including playing for the USNTDP Juniors in the USHL and both the U-17 and U-18 national teams.
Not only has he had to face other countries’ best hockey talent for the past two years, he’s also has played some of the United States’ best young talent in practice. The list of NHL draft picks is vast, but some of his most notable teammates have included two Media All-Stars in the 2025 World Juniors in Gabe Perreault and Cole Hutson, as well as playing with the potential first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, James Hagens in U-17 and U-18.
Despite the talent that has surrounded Ziemer domestically, at last season’s U-18 World Junior Championship, he was picked to wear the C on his sweater, showcasing the trust that his coaches and teammates have in him to lead.
When asked about how he’s tried to bring his leadership experience to Minnesota, Ziemer admitted there isn’t much to it.
“I just try to bring the same energy every day,” he said. “I try to lead by how I play and try to learn from the guys on the team.”
Even though Ziemer’s skillset might be able to keep up with the talent in the NCAA, he’ll still need to be able to keep up with the physicality of collegiate players who range from four to seven years older than he is.
“He’s facing stiff competition every night against older players, and he’s playing a big role on his team and that is going to push his development forward,” Mair said. “It's going to challenge him on a night-in, night-out basis and even at practice or in the weight room where he’s still young in terms of where they are with their body and where they are in terms of maturity and age. So, he’s getting pushed by older players at every step.”
Ziemer still has some time before he’s going to be lacing up his skates in Buffalo and has his mind set on trying to win a conference championship in a stacked Big Ten this season – all while developing for his future.
“My entire game can continue to get better, but I need to keep working on my speed and my skating ability,” Ziemer said. “It's going to help me be able to create more and that’s something that I'm definitely looking to get better at this summer.”
