COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – NHL draft picks shined over the weekend, as all four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week presented by KJ Branding for the week of Nov. 11-17, 2024 have had their named called by an NHL team. Garnering KJ Branding NCHC honors for Week 7 are a trio of underclassmen and one senior:

• Forward – Dominic James, Minnesota Duluth, senior
• Defenseman – Zeev Buium, Denver, sophomore
• Goaltender – Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth, freshman
• Rookie – Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, goaltender

James collected his second Forward of the Week nod this season (also week of Oct. 21-27) and career, while Buium picked up his first Defenseman of the Week award this season, but fourth of his career. It’s his fifth NCHC weekly award overall in his two seasons at DU. These are the first career NCHC weekly honors for both Gajan and Slukynsky.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Dominic James, Minnesota Duluth
Senior Forward
Plymouth, Mich.
 
James led all NCHC players with five points on the weekend and powered Minnesota Duluth to a sweep at Miami. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick recorded multiple points both nights, starting with a three-point outing in the opener on Friday. James tallied UMD’s third goal and set up the Bulldogs final two goals in a 5-0 shutout to earn First Star of the Game. The next night, he helped break a 2-2 tie, setting up Anthony Menghini for the game-winner, while handing out another primary assist soon after to make it 4-2 in an eventual 7-2 victory on Saturday.
 
James finished the series with a goal and four assists, which tied for the NCHC lead on the weekend. He posted a +6 plus/minus in the sweep, tying with Menghini for the NCHC lead, while firing eight shots on goal. James now has multiple points in four of his last five games and is fourth in the NCHC with 15 points this season (7g/8a), which leads the Bulldogs. His seven goals are tied for third in the NCHC.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Zeev Buium, Denver
Sophomore Defenseman
San Diego, Calif.
 
Buium was a force at both ends of the ice in Denver’s sweep at then-No. 9 North Dakota. The Minnesota Wild draft pick became only the third defenseman in NCHC history to record a hat trick and the first Denver blueliner to do so since 2004. Buium scored the game’s first goal early in the first period Friday, then broke a 1-1 tie with a power play goal later in the frame. The sophomore then sealed his first career hat trick and the 5-2 victory with an empty-net goal. Buium was named First Star of the Game on Friday. The last NCHC defenseman to record a hat trick prior to Buium was Western Michigan’s Ronnie Attard on Feb. 4, 2022.
 
Buium completed the weekend with a +4 plus/minus, including +3 on Friday, and two blocked shots, with one each night. He scored three goals on seven shots on goal in the series, including five shots on Friday. Friday’s hat trick marked his second career multi-goal game, tallying twice on March 22, 2024 in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinals last season. Buium now has 13 points (3g/10a) in 12 games this year, which ties with teammate Eric Pohlkamp for the NCHC lead among defensemen.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Goaltender
Poprad, Slovakia
 
Gajan bounced back from a tough weekend to backstop Minnesota Duluth to a sweep at Miami, allowing only two goals all series. On Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick recorded his first collegiate shutout, stopping all 21 shots he faced in a 5-0 win to earn Second Star of the Game. He helped kill off all four Miami power plays with six saves while short-handed, including a five-minute major. On Saturday, Gajan turned aside another 18 shots in a 7-2 victory, including 12 in the third period.
 
Gajan ended the series with a 2-0-0 record and a .951 save percentage, stopping 39 of 41 shots faced. His 1.00 goals-against average was second in the NCHC and tops among goalies that played two games. He helped UMD finish a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill in the sweep, totaling nine short-handed saves. On the season, Gajan is now 5-5-0, while upping his save percentage to .891 and lowering his GAA to 3.25.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Freshman Goaltender
Warroad, Minn.
 
Slukynsky continued his strong start to his freshman campaign, starring in his only game of the weekend on Saturday. The Los Angeles Kings prospect backstopped the Broncos to a 1-1 overtime tie against then-No. 8 Colorado College, making 27 saves in the series finale. He also turned aside six of the seven shots he faced in the ensuing shootout. The freshman made 12 of his 27 stops in the second period and totaled five short-handed saves to help kill all three Tiger power plays on Saturday.
 
Slukynsky finished the game with a .964 save percentage and a 0.92 goals-against average, leading NCHC goalies on the weekend. In four starts this season, he is now 2-1-1 with a .944 save percentage, which leads the NCHC, while his 1.72 GAA ranks fourth in the conference. The .944 save percentage also ranks fifth nationally and second among freshmen.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Tyler Coffey, Colorado College
Anthony Menghini, Minnesota Duluth
Sam Stange, Omaha
Aidan Thompson, Denver

Defenseman of the Week
Aiden Dubinsky, Minnesota Duluth
Ty Gallagher, Colorado College
Dylan Gratton, Omaha

Goaltender of the Week
Matt Davis, Denver
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
 
Rookie of the Week
Blake Bechen, Minnesota Duluth, forward
Gavin Lindberg, Colorado College, forward
James Reeder, Denver, forward