Davos Reloaded and Ready

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Davos, Switzerland -- Last season, HC Davos Dynamo could be considered ahead of the curve. After multiple seasons of making the playoffs, just getting into the wild card would have been considered a success - but the team did that and more, going on a Cinderella playoff run and taking the eventual champions to six games in the European Conference finals.

 

What will they do for an encore? If the offseason is any indication, a European Conference finals may now be the expectation, rather than the result of a miracle run.

 

In comes three top-flight players that encompass all parts of the ice: forward Owen Lazaro, defensive player Mina, and goalie Merome Dilson. All three come with extensive experience - and crucially, extensive playoff experience - and add some veteran savvy to what had previously been a very young Davos team.

 

"It's clear the rebuild's over. If we weren't here before, we certainly are now," said third-year center Antonia Bucatini. "No excuses, we're moving into win or bust mode."

 

Will that put pressure on Davos' young players? Time will tell. It's notable that, alongside those veterans, Davos still does have two rising rookies in the starting lineup in forward David Pastanap and defensive player Alfonse Desjardins. But Bucatini believes that combination of veteran leadership and youthful energy will propel the team forward.

 

"Davos is here, and we're going to be here a while. It's on us to figure it out now," Bucatini added. "I know better than to give a soundbite and predict a championship or anything. But trust me: I like where we're at, and I think we'll be even stronger this season."