New Places, New Faces

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Davos, Switzerland -- After winning the VHLE title in her only try with the Oslo Storm, Antonia Bucatini promised to take a few weeks off. It was the normal activities of course: travel to Italy, see friends and family, a quick (and secretive) vacation with Gianfranco del Rocco - the works.

 

But all good things must come to an end eventually, and the Bucatini, this change would be yet another large one. For the fourth time in three seasons, she would be reporting to a new team facility. This time, though, she would be reporting to the team which whom she could very well spend the next eight seasons, her permanent VHL home in Davos.

 

"Butterflies probably aren't right. More like I just had a lot of extra energy in my stomach that first day," Bucatini told reporters a week later. "There were a lot of hellos going around, and I think everyone was just pumped to be there."

 

Indeed, next year's Davos team will look a lot different from last year's. Not only will players such as Bucatini, Forum Content, Sunset Moth, Winston Dixon Jr. and David Slezak all be graduating from the VHLE, but a series of trades brought in a bunch of newcomer veterans including Grigor Ironhide, Sadie St. Louis, and Skor McFleury.

 

The result is that it may take some time for all the disparate parts to gel, but Bucatini thinks it will be worth the wait. "I think we can make some noise this season," she added. "I know we're probably not anyone's title favorites, but I'm excited to see where this goes. My VHL road is just beginning. Let's do this."