except the thinking with playing Buium is that he’s replacing Jon f’ing Merrill…it’s 10 minutesish of icetime a game, who can impact a game more in those 10 minutes? Merrill or Buium?
You could argue the #6D’s role is to **not** impact the game. That’s why Faber was so good when he stepped in, and that low-event game doesn’t seem to be in Buium’s DNA.
I’d argue a better spot for Buium is next to Spurgeon. Give them more sheltered minutes, Spurgeon is already playing like 16 minutes a night and not much PK, and the tough matchups go to Brodin/Faber. Faber is so much better when with Brodin, and every single player paired with Spurgeon over the last 10 years has been better with him. Middleton and Bogo as the muck it up, block shots, kill penalties, and high off the glass breakout bottom pair. Middsy could use some simplifying in his game right now.
As the clear underdog, I think it’s worth taking the shot to inject some high end talent into a 7 game series. But I’ll understand whatever the coaches decide after seeing him in practice against NHLers this week. That will give the best idea if he’s currently capable of defending Jack Eichel on the rush, battling Tomas Hertl net-front, and avoiding Mark Stone grand larceny through the neutral zone.
That age difference is a HUGE factor imo. Physically, at still just 19.25 years old, Zeev should continue to fill out his frame and get some man strength
This to me is the biggest difference from Buium now compared to Makar in 2019, or Faber in 2023.
