The NCHC handed out its individual awards Thursday night and two California natives took home some hardware.

San Diego native Zeev Buium added NCHC Player of the Year to his resume after garnering NCHC Rookie of the Year last season. He also claimed NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year for a second straight season, including being unanimous this year. The Hobey Baker Award finalist is tied for the NCAA lead among defensemen with 42 points in 36 games, while his 1.17 points per game are tops among blueliners. His 32 assists also lead defensemen nationally and tie for second in the NCAA among all skaters. He has scored 10 goals this season, which ties for sixth in the country among rearguards.

In conference play, Buium’s eight goals and 20 assists also both led all blueliners, while he became only the third NCHC defenseman ever to record a hat trick, doing so Nov. 15 at North Dakota. He was a unanimous First-Team All-NCHC selection for the second straight season. The Minnesota Wild first round draft pick carries a plus-14 plus/minus rating on the season, while averaging 26:06 time on ice, which is fourth nationally. Buium was a three-time NCHC Defenseman of the Week this season.

Back home, Buium played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings and SDIA Oilers.

In his first season in the NCHC, Arizona State senior and Corona native Ty Murchison picked up NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year honors. Murchison was a leader on the Sun Devils’ blue line this season, helping his team to a runner-up finish in its first NCHC campaign. The ASU alternate captain leads the NCHC with 91 blocked shots, 23 more than anyone else, including 59 in conference play, also first with nearly two and a half blocks per game. As a team, the Sun Devils also tied for third in the NCHC, allowing just 2.75 goals per game.

Playing in all 36 games this season, the Philadelphia Flyers draft pick chipped in four assists while posting a plus-7 plus/minus rating.

In California, Murchison skated for the Jr. Kings.

Photos/Clarkson Creative Photography (Buium) & Arizona State Athletics (Murchison)

— NCHC Staff

(March 21, 2025)