Canucks Player Grades: Rookie Buium looks like veteran, Demko delivers in 2-1 win over Devils

The easy consensus is defence is the hardest position for acclimation to the NHL.

Reads, reactions, positioning, physical play, puck movement, offensive flair, and consistency can take years to develop.

Zeev Buium, who turned 20 last week, has already made all that look quite effortless.

The new Vancouver Canucks rookie built a strong foundation by capturing world championship gold with the U.S. last May and a world junior title, put up 48 points in 41 games (13-35) in his final NCAA season at Denver, and has logged 32 games this NHL season.

And in a Sunday matinee at New Jersey, the highly-touted trade acquisition drew the second assist on Jake DeBrusk’s opening power-play goal at 61 seconds. He then had his cross-ice power play feed from the slot to the far post go into the net off defenceman Brenden Dillon. A goal and a helper in the opening 6:48 of a 2-1 matinee victory over the Devils to open a tough five-game road trip.

Nice debut in a first power play deployment and second pairing with Tyler Myers. Buium, the 14th overall selection by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Draft, logged 19:50, had two shots and five attempts. He’s the first defenceman in franchise history to record multiple points in the first period of his debut.

“Right when I got here yesterday (Saturday), everybody just welcomed us so easily with arms wide open,” Buium said post game. “Makes it a little bit easier on the ice and feeling comfortable. Nice to see the power play click, great plays by (Conor) Garland, Boes (Brock Boeser), Marco (Rossi) and Jake (DeBrusk) too. We moved the puck well, broke it in well, and were hard on pucks and recovering them.

“When you do that, and mix in the talent, you get the chances.”

The Devils, who played Saturday, found their legs in the second period and forced Thatcher Demko to be at his best in a 25-save, confidence-building performance.

If Buium, the highly-touted acquisition in the multiplayer Quinn Hughes trade Friday — it also landed centre Marco Rossi, winger Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round draft pick — lives up to being ahead of the development curve, the Canucks will have another big building block. With a blossoming back end that includes Tom Willander, Elias Pettersson and Victor Mancini, the collection bodes well for the future.

And if Buium eventually hits as a durable and dependable left-shot, top-pairing staple for years to come, it will ease some pain of the Hughes departure. You can’t replace the former Canucks captain, but Buium certainly displayed a strong stride, effortless zone escapes, and an offensive-zone presence.

“I want to be me,” Buium said in advance of his Canucks debut. “Obviously. you know the type of player he (Hughes) is, a superstar. He’s won a Norris Trophy and top defenceman in the U.S. if not the best in the NHL. I love to watch him and take things from him, but I want to write my own story.”

He’s off to a good start. And so is Rossi.

You could see why the Canucks had offseason trade interest in the mighty mite. He’s small but plays big with good wheels, smart decisions and a good release. He wired one of the post Sunday and also strong in the face-off circle after coming off injury.

“The legs were kind of heavy, and you have to get used to it again, but it’s a team win and I’m happy about it,” said Rossi. “What really helped is we’ve been talking a lot about the power play. They’re really smart and know what to do with the puck.”

‘The noise is gone. It was hard on Huggy, players’

Canucks head coach Adam Foote was obviously buoyed by the collective effort that came less than 48 hours after the Hughes blockbuster. Especially new players on the power play that struck twice.

“They were moving the puck fast,” said Foote. “We almost had another one. It’s nice to see them get that one early and get a little confidence. It’s different (post Hughes trade). The noise is gone. It was hard on Huggy and hard on the players when it’s out in the public. Hard to keep that behind closed doors in these times.

“It was a distraction and you could feel it. I’m sure there’s a couple of guys today lost a lot of energy because the lost a buddy. It (trade) happened so quickly, they may not have their legs. It was important to get that win, the players really fought hard for it. Good to see that happen right out of the gate.”

And what about Buium?

“You saw him walk the line and his swag,” noted Foote. “You need to have it to be able to run a power play like that. He has it and it’s nice to watch. And he knows how to hit, take space, and lean on them and it doesn’t take a lot of energy.

“I liked Rossi a lot. He’s plays it the right way. He’s very predictable, comes up high and does his job. On the power play, you don’t need to make a sauce (saucer) pass. You have an extra guy, find the 2-on-1. He plays the odds and has percentages down where a guy is open and I’ll give it to him, or it has to be a round, or I can go for it.”

Foote also made note of Ohgren’s speed and strength as future budding power forward in a few years.

Demko responds with stellar saves after tough outing

Thatcher Demko owned the rust he showed Thursday in allowing three shots on 13 goals.

After missing a dozen games with a groin injury, it wasn’t surprising his reads and reactions were off in a 3-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. He responded Sunday with a series of saves in the opening period — including four on the penalty kill in which the Devils had a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:19 — to prove that he’s quickly reverting to form.

In the power play flurry, which became a two-man advantage when Kiefer Sherwood closed his hand on the puck in a clearing attempt, the Canucks starter had to be at his reactionary best. He first denied the shifty Nico Hischier on a sharp post-to-post movement, made a pad save off Connor Brown, and then a sliding stop on Luke Hughes, who cut across the crease before stopping Paul Cooter.

The only puck to get by him was Hughes joining rush, taking a pass from Dawson Mercer in slot, and going glove side early in the second period where New Jersey had a 13-6 shot advantage. Demko stayed strong with the Devils pushing in the third period and would credit Tyler Myers with a sprawling block.

With goalie Jacob Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker, and Demko without his stick, he thwarted Jesper Bratt with less than a minute left.

Determined DeBrusk snaps drought on power play

Jake DeBrusk had gone 10 games without scoring and has been down this frustrating road before.

The winger has had ample looks, has shot high, shot wide, and hit posts but to no avail. It finally changed Sunday,

On an early power play, he took a feed from Conor Garland, went backhand to forehand down low, and then roof his own rebound for his ninth goal of the season and eighth on an improving power play. DeBrusk has scored four goals on the road and had 19 last season, which ranked 10th overall in the league.

OVERTIME — Centre Elias Pettersson was placed on injury reserve Sunday retroactive to Dec. 5. Filip Hronek has donned an alternate ‘A’ in departure of Hughes. The Canucks won’t immediately name a new captain, but plan to eventually have the conversation. They should wait. Foote also said it was good for the scratched centre Aatu Raty to get a break. He wins faceoffs but has also played 28 games.

REPORT CARDS

Jake DeBrusk (B)

Good determination to bump 10-game scoring slump. Four shots and six attempts.

Marco Rossi (C+)

Smart. Shifty. Read game well. Grade A wrister off post. Won 60 per cent of draws.

Brock Boeser (C)

Robbed at side of the net on sweet feed by Sasson. No goals in seven games. Two shots.

Nils Hoglander (C)

Good on the forecheck, good chance off the flank on nice drop pass by Sasson.

David Kampf (C)

You don’t generate any offence, do something. Good in the circle at 50 per cent.

Conor Garland (B)

The speed and the will are always there. Drew one penalty, drew a pair of assists.

Evander Kane (C+)

Good third period chance to beat Markstrom. Good on third line. Five shot attempts.

Drew O’Connor (C)

Great chance late in third period to put the game away. Struggled in faceoff circle.

Kiefer Sherwood (C+)

Made up for closing hand on puck infraction with three shot attempts, four hits.

Liam Ohgren (C)

Big body willing to battle, win board battles off end wall, get to the net.

Max Sasson (C+)

Speed is his weapon. Used it and some smarts to feather great passes

Linus Karlsson (C)

Only played 7:17 but didn’t give up anything on fourth line. Delivered three hits.

Marcus Pettersson (C+)

More controlled game in own zone. Better positioning, decisions, three blocks.

Filip Hronek (B)

Solid pairing with Marcus Pettersson. Led by example. Wore ‘A’, three hits, 24:57.

Zeev Buium (B)

Quite the debut for rookie rearguard. Poised. Comfortable. Smart. Two points.

Tyler Myers (B-)

Sliding save to deny Devils typing goal. Assessed phantom interference minor.

Elias Pettersson (B)

Big banger on the boards with six hits, three shot attempts, plus blocked shot.

Tom Willander (C+)

Easily escaped own zone with flawless exits at speed to put Devils on heels.

Thatcher Demko (A)

It started early, finished smartly. Massive rebound game with 25 tough saves.

bkuzma@postmedia.con