One Step Forward for Davos

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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.

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Bucatini Uncapped TPE Package 5/5