CowboyinAmerica

1. A new season is upon us! What is one goal you want to accomplish with your player for S95? It's playoff time, baby. Especially after a successful rookie year, I don't really have any personal goals. It's all about taking the next step as a team. 2. We have also just come off another exciting draft with some familiar faces joining the squad! Thoughts on Davos’ newest prospects? I'm pumped for how the draft went. Pastanap is not only a fellow pasta-based player, but could be a future linemate. Desjardins is a dedicated Davos player who I expect to be a teammate with for a long time. And could we have gotten the steal of the draft in Nathan Blaize? Certainly think there's a chance. 3. If a VHL award were to be named after your player, what statistic would it be awarded for? I mean, I led the VHL in hits taken last season. It's not necessarily a good thing to be awarded for, but I'll take any hardware I can get, damn it. 5. What is the story behind your VHL username? A long road back to when I was big into NFL Mock Drafts - at the time I was a Dallas Cowboys fan living in the Philadelphia area, thus CowboyinPhilly. But then I moved to Chicago, then a few places for internships, then Minnesota, so it just got easier to say America rather than changing it each time. 6. What is one thing you would implement to STHS if given the chance? Let's let that morale bonus run wild. It's more fun that way, actually get some wild runs from teams and have the streak's influence continue from game to game. 7. Are you participating in VHFL this season? I am! But I've also got two other Davos people in my group. So it's a goal for us to finish 1-2-3... and as long as I'm 1, I'll be good.

Claim 4

Davos, Switzerland -- It's been a relatively quiet offseason for Davos center Antonia Bucatini, who isn't playing in this year's World Cup and is enjoying some rest and relaxation following her first VHL season. But there's one appearance she was certainly looking forward to: the VHL Award Ceremony. There, Bucatini was nominated for the league's Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy for Rookie of the Year, alongside Calgary's Shawn Slezak and D.C.'s Tom Dufour. And in what wasn't a surprise to many, Bucatini took home this year's trophy in a unanimous vote. "I don't think people realize how big the jump is from the VHLE to the VHL. So I'm just happy that I was able to contribute as much as I was," Bucatini said. "Whether it was Jokinen showing me what it means to wear the Davos colors, Content being my S93 Draft buddy in learning to adjust to the league, or Ironhide scaring me into passing him the puck, I had so much help from my friends, family and teammates this season. I'm proud to be standing up here to accept this award." Bucatini was joined in the crowd by her family in town from Rome, as well as some close friends. Notably, fellow Italian forward Gianfranco del Rocco was seated at her table - but the two did not publicly embrace as Bucatini's name was called, continuing an air of mystery as to the true relationship between the two top picks in the S93 Draft. For that reason and many others, many eyes will be on Bucatini as she begins her second VHL season. Will she be able to replicate the 93 points she had in year one? "Maybe. That's a big number," she joked with press following the awards ceremony. "But I mean, I think I've got the talent to be at this ceremony at some point in the future." She added with a wink: "Wait around for me, will ya?"

1. Team World has won the World Cup! Did you expect them to secure the gold medal? I knew they had a strong team, but I generally consider US/Canada the favorites so I appreciate when somebody else wins a medal. Congrats to them! 2. What have you done to pass the time this offseason? A little time off and vacation. Everybody needs to decompress for a bit, and I like getting my head right before a new season. 3. As per tradition, what is your bold prediction for Davos this season? Another Davos player is going to win rookie of the year. It could be any of Tsunami, Stefano, Hardy or AKK, but I do believe we'll see a breakout from at least one. 4. What record do you think Davos will end with in S95? More wins than losses and a playoff (probably wild card) position. Not a crazy prediction, but I do expect to see us take another step forward this season. 5. In your opinion, who is the best player in the VHL right now? I think we're close to seeing a sea change once a lot of these S87 players retire. I'll still say it's Jimi Jaks for now, but I'm excited for when the next generation really starts to take charge. 7. Just because I bring this one back once in a while: is a hot dog a sandwich? I like to ask the question: Is every sandwich a hot dog? I mean, a lot of them contain meat, in a specifically molded shape, with bread around it. That also describes every hot dog I've ever had. Really makes you think.

Claim 3

Thank you everyone who voted for me! Certainly didn't expect that production my rookie year, but cool to see. And congrats to Slezak and Dufour for their excellent years!

Transaction ID: 4LY82144VR607621X 5 Uncapped Doubles Week 1 mill Cash

Davos, Switzerland -- For a team with so many recent draft picks, one would be forgiven for thinking that HC Davos Dynamo would continue their rebuilding ways. However, that's not the Davos front office's style - there are moves to be made. Out go starters from last season's team, such as the beloved Carson Walker Jr. and the final season forward Ellis Woolfenden. And coming in are longtime D.C. defenseman Ben Laas and recent top five pick UghSike, both of whom promise to make an immediate impact on the roster. Plus, there's still a draft and free agency ahead that promise even more shake-ups. To Antonia Bucatini, about to enter her second season with the top club, the moves are exciting. "It's always great to have new faces to meet, and I'm loving Laas and UghSike so far," Bucatini said. "But perhaps just as much, it show this team's going for it. I'm excited to see how far we get." Could it mean Davos is eyeing a playoff bid? With London joining Helsinki and Prague in rebuilding, it could certainly seem so. And that prospect is tantalizing to Bucatini. "I think we're building something special here, not just for the long-term with all the young players, but in the short-term too," she added. "I hope people get on board, because I'm ready for a fun ride!"

When you're screwed by the airlines and just sitting on a plane, let's do a press conference! 1. I had all my chips on Toronto, but I'm happy for Moscow. It's been a long time coming, and I know from experience it's tough to lose so much like that. 2. I don't think I am actually, wasn't selected for the World Cup and I'm not a big pro am person. But that's ok, I wouldn't mind a little time off to just chill and recharge my VHL batteries. 3. I'm usually partial to the original teams, but I do have to admit that Malmo's gets me. Not just the logo, but the color scheme too. 5. It wasn't, that was a football league long long ago. But as somebody who was in said league when the VHL started, it's still so wild to me that the VHL has lasted so long. 6. I'm a big fan! Laas has played excellently in DC, and he's a great locker room presence. And while Sike has gone a bit MIA recently, enjoyed being with him in Oslo and hope he comes back soon. 8. I'm hoping for a few more wins, maybe a playoff spot. My personal stats exceeded all expectations last year, but I'd love to see more on the team side.

I said what I said

Happy happy birthday!

2000+ words, claiming for 4 weeks in both VHL and SBA Weeks ending: 7/21 7/28 8/4 8/11

CIA’s Long, Undoubtedly Wrong S95 VHL Mock Draft It’s that time of year again! Yes, sure, the finals where we see if Moscow can finally break through or if Toronto gives me a bunch of prediction points. But even more than that for 14 other teams: We’re almost to another year of the VHL Draft! Whenever I write this intro, I always explain that I’m going to be wrong and you shouldn’t take what I have for gospel. This year, that’s especially true for one main reason: The lottery hasn’t happened yet because Moscow doesn’t have a lottery pick this time because it’s going to happen after the playoffs. As a result, not only are the picks wrong, but the order is going to be wrong as well. Naturally, Davos has received the first pick each of the past two seasons, so if past performance is a predictor of future success, they’re going to once again for this season. But without knowing that for sure, I’m keeping the lottery odds as they are right now. I’m also putting Moscow’s first as the final pick, because I want to provide even more locker room material because it’s fun. Undoubtedly there will be even more trades in the lead-up to the draft as well, perhaps even some already agreed upon, but that won’t be reflected here. As always, if you’re a draftee going lower than you think you should (or in one particular case, because I didn’t agree with your desire to go last overall), it’s because I hate you personally. With all of those caveats out of the way, let’s get into some picks! TPE totals are accurate as of me writing this on Wednesday, July 17. 1. Calgary Wranglers (from Prague): G Roger Eagles, Rome Gladiators, @Greg_Di - 378 TPE Certainly, there are some platitudes I could write about how Prague wishes it could have this pick, and they’d be true. But in the first conveying to Calgary, it turns what would have been a straightforward selection into a more interesting one. By pure TPE, Eagles is far and away the top prospect on the board. But Calgary made an early season run this past year with S91 goalie David Slezak in goal, and in doing so reenergized Slezak to at least earn 5 points a week. And while S91 is certainly a bit older than the S95 Eagles, he’s also young for this roster - the only two projected starters next season that are younger are forward Miner VHLer and defenseman Carson Tripp. So would Calgary go need with a Shevchenko, Sakic or Teno over Eagles? I say no, because top goalies are so rare - but I don’t think it’s an open and shut case, either. 2. Los Angeles Stars: G Spider Panda, San Diego Marlins, @Ricer13 - 280 TPE This one, however, I think is a bit more open and shut. Last season, in L.A.’s first true draft post-tanking, the team invested heavily in both forwards (Phantom, Pombo, Lose) and defense (Thorvaldsson). But particularly with the impending retirement of Matthew McCagg, no goalie in the prospect pool above 150 TPE, and not owning their own S96 first, I’d think that L.A. will be looking to go for one of the top two goalies at all costs. Even if they don’t get Eagles, Panda has star potential of their own and would be a worthy #1 overall pick in some drafts. I think the more interesting thing for L.A. is what they’d do if they fell in the lottery and couldn’t get either Eagles or Panda, and my guess is either Teno or even trading the pick to bring in a more veteran goalie. 3. D.C. Dragons: LW Phil Sakic, Miami Marauders, @Phil - 305 TPE The Dragons have the third pick over Helsinki by “winning” the tiebreaker (which of course means having fewer regulation wins), and their reward is their choice of all the non-goalies on the board. And that’s good particularly for D.C., where S93 goalie Herald Benson is looking like a steal but they have no other rotation players younger than S92. It’s always good to start a rebuild with a star forward, and the choice between Konstyantyn Shevchenko and Phil Sakic could be truly interesting. Both have similar TPE counts, are long-time members of the VHL, are quieter on the boards but put in the work, and even have similar scoring-centric builds. I’m giving it to Phil not based on too terribly much, but I don’t think you could go wrong either way. 4. Helsinki Titans: D Ahsoka Tano, Houston Bulls, @aimkin - 296 TPE Sitting in the four slot means that the Titans could really be sweating this one out. Because while the Dragons could really go any number of ways, I’d guess Helsinki is really focused in on one area: defense. The Titans have four rotation forwards S91 or younger (assuming Dassler re-signs, which you never know) and an S94 goalie ready to come up in THE MIGHTY ICE WIZARD, but outside of Donald Carlson who may be spending a year or two in the VHLE, there aren’t any long-term defensemen around. Tano has been vocal that they are busy and won’t be achieving full practice time, but even so, the success of former goalie Jesse Tano is persuasive. I’ll say the Titans take the plunge with Tano regardless to be the core defensive player of the future. 5. HC Davos Dynamo: RW Konstyantyn Shevchenko, Mississauga Hounds, @der meister - 315 TPE After three seasons of a deep rebuild, the Dynamo have re-stocked the cupboards and are ready to make a leap. Now in the building are a number of young prospects across the board, including three S94 draftees in Felicia Hardy, Johnny Tsunami and Matteo Stefano, all of whom could be up in the VHL next season. So it makes sense to me for Davos to go best player available, and luckily there’s a great one on the board in Shevchenko. While Davos does currently have a glut of forwards and Shevchenko might seemingly be fighting for a second line slot with a prospect like Steve French, I think if you’re Davos, you take the top-earning talent and let the rest shake out later. I could also see Samsayz I-Smell as an option if they wanted to go defense, but… well, let’s talk about that. 6. Calgary Wranglers: D Samsayz I-Smell, Mexico City Kings, @CaptainSB - 281 TPE I’m fully aware that I-Smell desperately wants to go last in the draft. I respect it honestly, as someone who is in full support of subverting narratives and trying something a bit different. Some teams may provide I-Smell that wish, and I think it would take a gutsy team to select them earlier. But when you have Calgary sitting there with a second lottery pick, a new star goalie already selected in this mock, and a desperate need for young talent - I could certainly see them taking the swing here. And I think it’d be a good swing, because I-Smell would be ready to come up right as regression really begins to wallop a ninth-season Stauffer, and they could be on first line defense for Calgary as soon as S96. 7. New York Americans: RW David Pastanap, Houston Bulls, @Jubis - 271 TPE I’m not really in the business of predicting trades, but this is one that I could certainly see moving. New York is ready and desperate to win now - and with both Tommy Shelby and Chris Reynolds Jr. ready to graduate from the VHLE, they could conceivably already have the same full roster for the next couple of seasons. But excepting that, if New York keeps the pick, I think the best available forward makes a lot of sense. Pastanap will be a bit of a slow build due to welfare, but Jubis is a VHL veteran who will be around for the long-haul and can grow into a solid supplementary forward for the franchise. 8. HC Davos Dynamo (from Warsaw): D Alphonse Desjardins, Saskatoon Wild, @Anthique - 222 TPE With their second first round pick, I see the Dynamo going the opposite direction of whatever they did the first time. If they land someone like Tano at #5, I think they’d want to go forward here, likely Tim Robinson. But in the case of going forward in this mock draft, then I think defense makes a whole lot of sense to potentially pair alongside Felicia Hardy in the future. Although Mathiesen is the top player by TPE here, I think a little bit of history will go a long way - the only other player from the agency, Alfred Champagne, spent their first six seasons in Davos and won a title with the franchise. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Davos bring home the newly crowned VHLM champion defenseman here. 9. D.C. Dragons (from Vancouver): D Einar Mathiesen, Miami Marauders, @xsjack - 237 TPE It’s a similar story here to what I said about Davos just a pick ago: Depending on whether they go forward or defense at #3, I’d expect the inverse here. As a result, the pick is a fairly straightforward one with Mathiesen. Although the agency has had three prior players and hasn’t had much success since Jack Lynch, Mathiesen’s training regimen so far has inspired confidence that they could be the best of the bunch. And it’d be a welcome pick for D.C., who desperately needs young talent in front of Benson and has a long rebuild ahead to help Mathiesen grow into a top-flight player. 10. Chicago Phoenix: LW Tim Robinson, Miami Marauders, @Tim Robinson - 265 TPE The playoffs didn’t end the way Chicago wanted, falling to Seattle in Game 7 of the quarterfinals. But the upside is the chance to bring in who honestly I think would be the steal of the draft in Tim Robinson. The agency’s only other player was an underrated Mo Probert, who reached 1314 TPE with stints in both Malmo and Helsinki. With Probert’s solid play and a workmanlike training regimen so far, I could see Robinson going as high as 6. But with Chicago seeing the growth of former 5th overall pick UghSike start to stagnate, they certainly wouldn’t argue a forward with star potential still here at 10th overall. 11. Riga Reign (from Malmo): D Boris Bone-Breaker, Halifax 21st, @RileyL - 228 TPE It was doubly positive for the Reign to knock out Malmo in the quarterfinals, because not only did Riga advance, but they helped out the first round pick they own! The reward is a true defensive defenseman that wants to rattle some cages: Boris Bone-Breaker. While Bone-Breaker has trained primarily defense so far, they did have some solid playmaking with Halifax this season in a way that could potentially translate to the next level. With Skor McFleury staring down retirement and Ray Stanton’s growth stalled, a talented young defenseman like Bone-Breaker would be very welcomed in Riga’s system. 12. London United: RW Drosmis Sarkanis, Saskatoon Wild, @Mr Bohannan - 178 TPE The new GM for the United is going to have some tough decisions to make - namely, whether to try and fight for one more season after mass retirements in the forward corps, or to start the rebuild. If it’s the latter, this is an important pick to nail. Sarkanis is a recent entrant to the draft, having only played 24 games for the Wild in the regular season, but already they’ve set themselves apart as a consistent presence on the practice pitch. While it may take two seasons for Sarkanis to be VHL-ready, that timeline would be just fine for a London franchise that may have some lean years ahead. 13. HC Davos Dynamo (from Riga): D Ronan Amnon, Mexico City Kings, @Breeze837 - 152 TPE The Dynamo would be in an interesting spot with this pick, their third of the first round. So with a little bit of wiggle room following two picks at the top half of the round, why not swing for the fences? Only the second first gen player selected thus far, Amnon is been a bit inconsistent in earner - some weeks with full practice, other weeks only collecting the Practice Facility paycheck. Even investing in weekly welfare would help Amnon become a potential steal almost immediately, and putting them in a strong locker room structure like Davos could help unearth a future pearl. 14. Helsinki Titans (from Seattle): C Ozzy Batty, Mississauga Hounds, @Ozzy Batty - 181 TPE Ozzy Batty’s agency has been a first round pick before, with Otis Boudreaux Jr. going ninth overall to Los Angeles in S89. But from there, it was a lot of hopping around - four teams in four seasons in the VHL, none of which were his draft team in L.A., before ultimately retiring from Calgary at the end of this past season. Will Batty prove to be more consistent? He’s showing signs so far, with an astounding 114 points for the Hounds this past season. If the Titans were to provide a more stable home than Boudreaux Jr. ever had, Batty could turn out to be a steal. 15. Toronto Legion: G Bartholomew Lorequavius, San Diego Marlins, @jaypc8237 - 162 TPE The Legion would seemingly have one more season of contention before a rebuild, but they have a major problem: star goalie Joel Castle is about to retire. Behind him, S91 goalie Toddly Boddly was the backup this season, but he’s not a long-term solution. And the Legion don’t have a single goalie in the prospect pool. That just shows how dangerous the long-term outlook is in goal for Toronto, but Lorequavius could help solve some of those woes. A late entrant to the draft, only getting 25 games in San Diego, Lorequavius has already established a consistent practicing pattern with a few weeks of max practice hours. While he wouldn’t be an immediate solution to Castle, Lorequavius could provide a way to hand off the Legion to a new era when the rebuild comes up soon. 16. Moscow Menace: RW Inker Belle, San Diego Marlins, @WildfireMicro - 150 TPE I remember when I was in the S80 draft with Booberry, I was very engaged in the other draftees and who would turn out to be good. And at the time, I would have told anybody that I’d bet Armani Calamari, from then-first gen WildfireMicro, would be the steal of the draft. It kind of turned out: five seasons and four playoff runs of solid, if unspectacular, production with Toronto before stalling out. But after that were a couple of false starts in three-season forward Logan Foley and S93 forward Loona Buckzo, who never even got drafted. Will Belle reverse the trend? I think the raw talent is absolutely there, and in a successful organization like Moscow, I think they’d be able to get the most out of Belle’s potential.

Seattle -- Since the end of the season, the buzz around HC Davos Dynamo center Antonia Bucatini has been quiet. Many within the Dynamo organization expected her to return home to Italy and rehab after a long rookie season with the club. That's why it might be a surprise to find her halfway across the world during the VHL playoffs - in Seattle specifically, in a luxury box to watch the Seattle Bears v. Toronto Legion conference finals Game 3. Since they were drafted to franchises on opposite sides of the globe, there hasn't been much chatter about the early burgeoning relationship between Bucatini and Bears forward Gianfranco Del Rocco. But there's indications there still might be some contact both off and on the ice. Bucatini played coy when asked by Italian media about her presence at the game. "I like hockey. I wanted to see a playoff game, that's all," she explained. Still, insiders say they spotted someone looking like Bucatini outside the Seattle locker room after the loss, standing with Del Rocco's family. While the insider could not get close enough to confirm that it was indeed Antonia, the rumor mill has gone aflame once again. Both Bucatini and Del Rocco are expected to be among the attendees at the VHL's yearly awards dinner as well, where both will be up for this year's Rookie of the Year award. Will we see any public confirmation of a secretive romance there, or will the two up-and-coming stars continue to put on a different public face? Only time will tell.

1. In your opinion, what has been the biggest surprise of these S94 playoffs? Props to Riga, I'll admit that I didn't see it coming. Not only taking out Malmo but even getting up on Moscow like they currently are is spectacular. 2. What are your thoughts on the VHL’s uncapped TPE opportunities (fantasy zone, holiday donation drives, VHFL, etc.)? Should there be more opportunities to earn TPE similar to these? I think it's good as is honestly. There's always the danger of TPE inflation, as well as being too complex for new people to handle. I think where it's at right now is a good balance. 3. What kind of play style were you aiming for when building your current player? Mostly shooting for an overall playmaker who can make everybody on the team better. Whether it's adapting to a scoring bruiser like Ironhide or a passer like Content, hoping to fit to all. 4. As the VHL becomes 17 years old, what is one thing that a sim league needs to do to survive and thrive for this long? I mean, it's unprecedented to go this long so it's tough to say. But overall, as long as having fun is the north star and you're not falling to infighting, you'll be fine. 5. If the VHL were to expand, which city would you like to see receive a team? We'll see what happens with the E in future seasons, but any chance that Vasteras makes a return to the big leagues? No, just me? Alright then. 6. The Paris Olympics are coming up! Which event are you most looking forward to watching? Basketball's always been a favorite sport, but there's so much parity on the world stage these days. Even outside the US, matchups like the Spain/Canada/Australia/Greece group are going to be much watches.

I'll be the one who says the opposite and that I like it all at once. The main issue is the tight turnaround with less than 24 hours before the next games start (and less than 48 before Game 3), which if you're not living on the boards, it's easy to miss. And even though AJ's doing spectacular with the timeliness, I don't think it's necessarily fair to make him have to post something same night if the series ends on like later on a Friday or Saturday night. My pitch might be to split the difference - ignore the Wild Card to give people more time, then do the full playoffs starting with the quarterfinals with a spot for 4/5 advancing throughout like March Madness and the play-in games.

Sniped it from @jacobcarson877

1. The Continental Cup playoffs are fully underway! Predictions for who will lift the Cup? I said Toronto before the season, Toronto at the beginning of the playoffs, and see no reason to change it now. It's a bit of now or never for them, but I always like teams with a bit of veteran leadership to them. 2. Now that we have officially entered the offseason here in Davos, what are you most looking forward to next season? I'm ready to make a real playoff run. We made a real step forward this season, but especially if we see some more Euro teams moving to rebuilds, I think we can take a real step forward. 3. Antonia Bucatini led rookies in scoring this season with an incredible 93 points, the most by a rookie in the more recent era of goaltending dominance! How would you describe her impact on Davos’ offense? Just happy that I can make an impact. I do want to be an overall team player that makes everybody around me better, and it seems like I was able to do that this season so I'm happy. 4. Opinion on the World Juniors (WJC) and World Cup of Hockey (WCH) tournaments? Is there anything you would change about the teams, format, etc.? It's a bit much for me if I'm being honest, but I also realize that I'm not the target market: New players to keep them invested. I like WJC more personally, but if WCH keeps people engaged and there's the personnel to run it, I don't see the issue. 5. Do you think the leadership attribute has any effect on results in sims? I realize I'm in the minority on this one, but I do think it has a tangible overall team effect. In fact, maybe I'll put my money where my mouth is to try and prove it... 8. Would you rather go to a sporting event or a concert? Sporting event, definitely. Just generally more interested in sports than music, but also, I know I'm getting old because overly loud music just bugs me these days.

Claim 3

Bucatini Uncapped TPE Package 5/5

Davos, Switzerland -- As we come down towards the end of the regular season, HC Davos Dynamo sits nowhere near a playoff spot. With 54 points through 69 games, Davos does sit sixth out of eight in the European Conference, but with a big gap to the Moscow Menace in 5th - a 28 point gap to be exact, and most would say that Davos hasn't really been in contention since about the one-third mark of the season. So does that make this season a failure? On the contrary, says the general sentiment from the locker room. It was a rebuilding year at the beginning, and they're sticking to that line. "Look, this was a team that finished next-to-last in the entire league last year. We've had two or three rookies on our top line all season. This is all eyes towards the future," says center Antonia Bucatini. "I think we did pretty well compared to where we were last season, honestly. 50-plus points and 12th in the league is nothing to scoff at." There are also some in the fanbase who ask the opposite question: Should Davos had tanked more for a higher draft pick? While some teams may have taken that tactic, Bucatini dismissed those concerns as well. "At some point, you have to get better. You have to start to take a leap," she adds. "While higher draft picks are always nice, we showed we can win against some top competition this season. That will only help us when we start to go for it, possibly as soon as next season." This offseason may be a busy one in Davos, particularly as even more players are set to graduate from the VHLE to the main roster. It remains to be seen whether this team fashions itself into a true contender, but one thing remains clear: The vibes are good.

1. The regular season is coming to a close! In your opinion, who is our Davos team MVP of S94? I have to agree that it's Jokinen. Maybe it's not the point total that they had last year, but in terms of keeping the team together during a rebuilding stretch, there's nobody better. 2. What are your expectations for our squad for next season? I do think it's reasonable to look towards a playoff birth next season. Especially with some more rebuilds coming in Europe, Davos should be ready to compete sooner rather than later. 3. Do you believe in the Victory Cup curse? Let's say being the best regular season team doubles your chances of winning in the playoffs. In that case, it still means going from a 10% chance of winning (1 of 10 teams) to 20%. There's a lot of parity in the VHL - it's less a curse and more just math. 4. What was the inspiration behind your player’s name? Mostly I wanted to go back towards Europe with this player, and I thought Italy was usually pretty underrepresented. From there my mind went toward food, and I mashed up a celebrity chef (Antonia Lofaso) with a type of noodle. 5. What is one thing you enjoy most about the VHL? I've always enjoyed the history of it. I like the competition and stats of it all, and being able to compete against not only people at the same time but also 90+ seasons of history really appeals to me. 8. What is your favorite song right now? It's summer, it's vibes, and Igual Que Un Angel by Kali Uchis has been on my playlist pretty regularly for the past month or so.

1. What did you think of the theme of “VHLM?” I really liked it, honestly. I know some people like to forget the VHLM ever exists after they move past it, but I like giving the minors some shine. 2. In the spirit of theme week, what is your favorite VHLM branding? I'm partial to teams with a bit of history, and I've always liked the Saskatoon Wild. Cool logo and colors, a market that loves hockey without a major team, and a lot of VHLM history there. 3. What are your thoughts on Fantasy Zone as an uncapped TPE opportunity? Is it too difficult to get more than one TPE? Not at all, I'd rather it be more difficult than less. And as you saw today, these things go in waves as well. People need to be diligent to do some research into these, and I think AJ's doing a great job leaving them open for a long enough period of time. 4. The VHL’s 17th birthday is coming up soon. What were you up to 17 years ago? Just finishing up high school, but also: On sim leagues. Which, man, my sim league career is old enough to drive at this point, which is depressing in some ways. But hey, still having fun so sticking it out. 6. Predict who will be Davos’ top scorer by the end of the regular season! Me! Maybe. I think Ironhide will definitely have more goals, but I've been doing pretty well playing facilitator, and more than happy to do so and get those assist numbers up. 7. What attributes are you focusing on with your player this season? Spread all over the place right now, which is by design. I'm sure I'll probably specialize a bit in the future, but for now I want to establish myself as an overall good player before I start to get really good in some areas.

Bucatini Uncapped TPE Package 4/5

Davos, Switzerland -- Following solid but not amazing runs in the VHLM and VHLE, Davos forward Antonia Bucatini had her expectations low for entering the VHL. She wanted to acclimate as the season went on, particularly with Grigor Ironhide and (since traded) Sadie St. Louis, and if a few points followed, then cool. But instead, she hit the ground running. Through about 70% of the season, Bucatini leads all rookies in scoring by a large margin - 68 points, 19 more than her next closest competitor. That total includes 47 assists (first among rookies) and 21 goals (one behind D.C.'s Tom Dufour for first there too). Now, Bucatini has her sights set on some history. In a recent era where goalies have been more dominant and talent has been spread out throughout the league, rookies have failed to make an impact. Since Nils Godlander stormed into the league with an amazing 131 points in Season 82, the top point total for rookies is just 82 - shared by The Board Game Clue on Skates (S83) and Bucatini's linemate Ironhide (S91). Will she surpass that point total for the most rookie points in 11 seasons? It would take 15 points over 19 games, a pace she has surpassed thus far. And while it's not a goal that Bucatini is specifically aiming towards, she acknowledged that she's heard the chatter about her season. "It's nice to play so well out of the gate - you never quite know with these things. My goal to start was actually a point per game this season, and I'm almost to that 72 mark," Bucatini revealed. "So if I pass 82 as well, I'll be happy with that, for sure. Maybe hit the 90 mark for the first time for a rookie in a while? I'd have to admit, it'd be pretty sweet." 90 may be tough, though at her current pace Bucatini would end the season with 92. We'll see whether this hot scoring pace continues or if Bucatini cools off as we approach the end of the season.