CowboyinAmerica

Davos, Switzerland -- There is good news and bad news for HC Davos Dynamo. The good news is that the team is on an absolute heater, winning 11 straight games - including three straight over European Conference rival Riga that has separated the two teams in the standings. After this streak, Davos now sits at a 32-9-6 record for 70 points. But the bad news: That streak still puts them third in the European Conference, as Malmo currently holds an even longer win streak at 13 games and Moscow has continued to play strong enough hockey to stay ahead. Even Vancouver in the other conference has an 8 game winning streak, not allowing Davos to catch up to the overall point lead either. "We're trying, but we can only control what we can control," said center Antonia Bucatini after a recent win against Seattle. "Sure it's a bit frustrating, but as long as we're winning, we're doing our part." Will this change any time soon? Maybe not immediately, as Davos doesn't play Malmo or Moscow for another 10 games. But with 3 games against Malmo and 2 against Moscow left in the regular season - and Riga still lurking as a threat - the European Conference first seed is still very much up in the air. "We've done well in the playoffs, but we've never been above a three seed in my time on the team. I want to experience that home ice advantage," Bucatini added. "And maybe a Victory Cup? Maybe, we'll see. But I can only have those dreams if we do what's needed on the ice first."

Davos, Switzerland -- During the first two years of her VHL career, HC Davos Dynamo forward Antonia Bucatini had settled into a distinct role for the team. She was the facilitator - the one who would win the face-off, make sure she was protecting the puck, and pass it off to the real scorers. Her 121 assists to just 57 goals in those first two years showed exactly what she was expected to do. But interestingly, things have changed in Bucatini's third and fourth seasons. Even without changing much about her training style and Davos' team composition, Bucatini magically started scoring more goals in Season 96, finishing with 44 goals and 37 assists. Now in Season 97, things have gone to a whole new level - the ratio has evened out to 23 goals and 22 assists, but those 23 goals places Bucatini tied for second in the VHL, just one behind the league lead. Bucatini recently told the press she's not sure why the switch has flipped - but she's certainly not going to argue. "If it's best for the team, I'll do it. And honestly, what's better for the team than scoring some goals?" Bucatini asked. "Past season and a half, I've been doing a lot better putting the puck in the net. And I don't plan on stopping any time soon." Indeed, her close partnership with Gianfranco del Rocco has paid dividends on that front, with Del Rocco acting as a frequent facilitator for Bucatini's goals so far this season. Will that lead to Bucatini leading the league in scoring? She says it's not her goal, but won't shy away from it either. "I'm always for the team above all else. If we're winning games, however that happens, I'm happy," Bucatini added. "But I'd be lying to you if I said I was looking for my name at the top of those scoring charts. I think I'm certainly capable of big things, and I'm excited to see it continue to play out through the rest of the season if I can get myself to the very top. Big things ahead, Davos fans."

1. What do you wish to accomplish by the end of the regular season? It's always going to be about the team game and setting ourselves up for playoffs. But I will say, now that I'm just one goal off the league lead, that'd be fun... 2. How would you compare your VHL experience now compared to when you first joined the league? Has anything drastically changed? It's a very different place here now versus 60+ seasons ago - not just on the VHL, but on the internet in general. I think I like it more now, people just tend to be kinder, believe it or not. Very wild west on forums back in the day. 3. Who is your early pick for top leading scorer in the VHL? Scorer overall is going to be Goncalves, I'd imagine. But I do think they won't be able to keep up being the top goal scorer and top 5 in assists all season, because that's an absurd case. 4. What defunct VHL/E/M franchise would you bring back if you had the chance? It's not necessarily a defunct franchise, but I really wish Vancouver moved back to Quebec. It's just so much more character of a franchise, versus a generic city name (who has a NHL team) and team name. 5. Do you have any name ideas for your next player yet? Haven't thought that far ahead, but I do tend to be a bit more practical with my names than most people. One thing I'm big on: I like unique first names at least if I can help it. Help my player stand out a bit more from the pack. 6. What would be your criteria for an MVP-calibre player in the VHL? I wish people took into account the "Valuable" part more. There are already awards for most points, most goals, MOP, etc. ... give me something for a player who took their team above and beyond.

Literally what I was coming here to comment, thanks for getting out ahead of me

1. Do you have any New Year’s Resolutions? I'm bad at keeping them, so I don't set hard goals. But reading for pleasure a bit more this year would be nice, and also signing up for Duolingo like I've been planning to for a month. 2. A week into sims, how are you feeling about your player’s performance thus far? Alright. Started out real hot, top 10 in goals and points. The past four or so games have been down for the whole team, though. Hoping we get back on track here shortly, and I think we can. 3. Are you aiming for any individual awards this season? We're at the point with my TPA that I can start thinking about these things. There's none I'm specifically aiming for, but with my hits and scoring so far, I don't think the Two-Way Forward trophy is that absurd. 4. There have been ongoing discussions about meme player names. Do you have any opinions on them? They've never been my jam, because I like my role playing experience to be a bit more grounded. Like, Xavier Booberry is the craziest I'll get. But if others want to have fun in a different way, I'm not gonna go against somebody's good time. 5. Do you believe the VHL should bring back grading for point tasks? I honestly wish I had seen this question before writing my VHL.com, because I'd have some opinions. But the short version: It doesn't matter whether I think it's worthwhile or not, because the cat's out of the bag with a more streamlined experience and people would rebel if you tried. 8. Do you prefer watching TV shows or movies? Always been more of a TV person honestly. It allows me to be more invested and track things over time, plus I often just don't have the time or patience to watch something for two straight hours.

Davos, Switzerland -- Over her first couple of seasons, HC Davos Dynamo forward Antonia Bucatini had a reputation as a passive player. Her first year in the VHL, she led the entire league in hits taken, with many opposing defensive players lining up to take their shot at the rookie. Even over the past couple of years, Bucatini's hit total has slowly risen, but very few would call her a two-way player. But now, apparently, a switch has flipped. Maybe it's that she was tired of getting pushed around. Maybe it's the arrival of Gianfranco del Rocco, which has brought out more of her, let's call it physical, side. But whatever the case, Dynamo fans have noted a harder hitting Bucatini this year: Her 74 hits through 18 games is tied for the fifth-most in the entire VHL and third-most among forwards. "What can I say? Hockey's a physical game. I've got no problem roughing a few people up out there," Bucatini said after a recent win against Prague. She added with a smile, "They probably don't expect it when they see me coming, but that makes it more fun." One of the major influences on this playstyle may be teammate Grimgor Ironhide. In Ironhide's three years in Davos, he's ranked in the top 10 in hits every season - and this year, is one of the two forwards ahead of Bucatini in the hit rankings (Chicago's Toby Kadachi being the other). Bucatini said she's learned a thing or two from playing alongside Ironhide about how to get hits in, but not let it affect point totals. The ogre and the lithe Italian youngster may seem like an odd 1-2 punch for basher teammates. "Oh, you're afraid of him and would rather play near me? I'll show you that you should be afraid of me too," Bucatini added. "Maybe you'll come out of Davos with a win, but I'll tell you: You're going to be hurting for days after regardless."

Yeah Victor and I did it pretty randomly and independently. The nerdy backstory for mine: There's a character on an actual play podcast I listen to with the last name Primavera that I thought was fun. So when recreating I was thinking through pasta-related names I could roll with, and if I'm doing that then of course the player has to be from Italy.

1. S97 is officially underway! How excited are you on a scale of 1-10? I'll call it a 9 for now - it's a really big season and I'm excited to see what we do. 10 is for the playoffs. 2. Which team do you predict will be our biggest rival this season? I'll cheat and say both Moscow and Riga. Two teams we've played in both the last two playoffs, might again this year, and will be fighting with on top of the conference. 3. What attributes are you focusing your TPE on as the season starts? I'm real close to my final build, so it's mostly some finishing touches on Skating and Face Offs. Then once I'm there, I plan to remain there for seasons to come. 4. What will be Davos’ key to success in S97? It might be the key to every season, but I really think nailing the proper lines is going to be huge for us this year. We have a lot of players with a lot of different skill sets, and I hope we find who works best with who. 5. A season onwards from the removal of the VHLE, have you noticed any significant impacts this change has had? I honestly haven't been paying that close of attention, but I'm very curious to see what it means for retention. I imagine we'll see with first gens in the next draft or two. 7. Did you sign up for VHFL? If so, how do you think your team will perform? Feeling pretty good about my team thus far. I think both Kadachi and Lazlo Holmes are turning out to be very good late value picks, so I'm hoping my top guys also step up a bit more.

Antonia Bucatini Center - HC Davos Dynamo Antonia Bucatini entered the VHL with almost impossible expectations. The first (and eventually only) player to be selected with the first pick in each of the VHLM, VHLE and VHL Drafts, Bucatini was expected to be an instant gamechanger on any team that she landed on. But hockey is a team sport of course, would she be able to make a difference that instantaneously? Due to a bit of lottery luck, HC Davos Dynamo moved up from the second slot to the first to become that team. And after an additional season in the VHLE, winning a title with Oslo to boot, Bucatini made her VHL debut in Season 94. The past three seasons have been a ride for Bucatini, with success coming in different ways. But to this point, it seems that amazingly, the answer is yes: The young center with all of the highest expectations is meeting them in Davos and then some. Season 94 In Bucatini’s rookie season, Davos was still a team looking to climb out of a rebuild. During the season Bucatini had spent in the VHLE, Davos was one of the worst teams in the league once again, gaining another first overall pick in the process (that they would soon trade). This meant that, entering Season 94, not only would expectations for the team as a whole be low, but Bucatini would already be one of the team’s best players by default. Rather than shy away from this responsibility, however, Bucatini decided to face the adversity heads on. Acting as the team’s first line center from day one, Bucatini averaged about a point per game during the first half of the season, helping Davos creep up above the basement in the league. But it was in the second half of the season that she truly shined: Bucatini would jump up to finish the season with 93 points, the most for a rookie in more than 10 seasons. Along with a well-deserved Rookie of the Year award, Davos as a whole jumped to finish sixth in the European Conference. It was a sign of good things to come. Season 95 Many players experience a sophomore slump, and to a certain extent, Bucatini was not immune. Her total points dropped from 93 to 85 during her second season, and while her total amount of shots increased by 30, her total goals dropped from 31 to 26. However, that’s just part of the story – because amazingly, Davos broke out in a way that many players never thought possible. The Dynamo raced to a fourth seed in a tough European Conference, outperforming preseason expectations. And for her part, Bucatini ended the season with a +45 rating. But it was in the playoffs that Bucatini truly began to reach her potential. Following a wild card sweep, Davos faced a hungry top seeded Moscow team – and amazingly, found themselves with another sweep. Even with a conference finals loss to Riga, Davos had jumped from a rebuild to true contenders in one season. And Bucatini was a major part, grabbing 10 goals and 10 assists in just her first playoffs. Season 96 Interestingly, the trends that began in Season 95 furthered themselves even more in Season 96. Bucatini’s point total actually dropped for the third straight season, from 85 to 81. This can partially be explained, however, by a shift in how coaches wanted her to play – she had 44 goals this season to only 37 assists, becoming more of a scorer than playmaker for the talented Davos team. And it seemed to work well: Davos gained the third seed in a close race down the stretch with Riga and Malmo. And once again, Davos was able to take another step in the playoffs. The first round saw them get revenge against Riga in 7 games. The conference finals saw them face Moscow once again – and take them down once again, getting Bucatini to her first finals. And although Davos would fall in 6 games to Vancouver in the finals, it was not for a lack of effort for Bucatini – her 9 goals and 14 assists in 18 games would put her near the top of the VHL’s playoff point leaders for the season. Into the Future It’s tough to say that any single player is on a Hall of Fame track just three seasons into their career. So much can happen, and randomness abounds. But when a player like Bucatini gets taken first overall three times, a Hall of Fame-type career may be an expectation, not just a goal. Who knows whether Bucatini will get there. But the beginning personal and playoff success is a good first step to get there. Entering her fourth season, Bucatini finds herself on a stacked Davos team that hopes to go deep into the playoffs for seasons to come. If she can prove to be a centerpiece on some of those talented teams, the sky is truly the limit for Bucatini.

Final day!

One more!

Day 10

Day 9?!?!

New York -- This year's World Cup of Hockey is now behind us, and for Team Western Europe, it was a time of ups and downs. The team entered the competition hoping to punch above its weight and did finish third in the round robin phase with a solid - if unspectacular - 5-5 record. However, the team did fail to find the medal stand once again, ultimately falling to fourth place after losing both the semifinals and the bronze medal match. However, not all was a disappointment. Western Europe did win a crucial quarterfinal contest over rivals Eastern Europe, giving some continental bragging rights over the next two seasons. "Maybe it's not the World Cup we wanted, but I think there's a lot to be proud of with our play," said center Antonia Bucatini. "It's something to build on for the next edition." Indeed, there is reason to believe the future is bright for this Western Europe squad and medals may come in the near future. Of course, some part of that is the forward corps, including the Italian duo of Bucatini and Gianfranco del Rocco. But a big storyline this tourney was also the youth in goal - and Deadpanda will only likely improve from here to give Western Europe a top netminder. With that in mind, the prevailing sentiment for the continental team is hope. "We're still learning to play together I think, we'll get there. With so many players from different teams, it takes time to gel," Bucatini added. "But with big wins like the Eastern [Europe] one, I can see the building blocks for a real dynasty here."

Day 8!