We have now reached the top five of the list. When making the list, I had about three tiers of players divided by what I believe the player was most likely capable of. The top five are their own tier of players that I would label as the definitive players that are the future of Polish hockey. These five players have the potential to elevate Polish hockey to a new level. They’re all more than capable of being top players in Poland, or key players outside the country. Poland reaching the elite division and staying there relies a lot on these players reaching their full potential.
| Players 50-41 | Players 15-13 | Player 9 | Player 5 |
| Players 40-31 | Player 12 | Player 8 | Player 4 |
| Players 30-21 | Player 11 | Player 7 | Player 3 |
| Players 20-16 | Player 10 | Player 6 | Player 2 |
Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2019, change in rankings
1 – Alan Łyszczarczyk (F), 23, Fort Wayne Komets, (1,0)
One of the my favorite things about doing this list is tracking the movement of players, seeing whose rised and fell. Since I started the list when it was only a top 10 list with U20 players, one player has always held the top spot. That is Łyszczarczyk who is without a doubt on track to be the best Polish forward of this century. The number one spot in this list has always been obvious because of that.
Łyszczarczyk officially kicked off his professional hockey career this year, after signing with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL. Łyszczarczyk was coming off his best junior hockey season to date after his overage season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Along with playing for the Komets, he was invited to the training camp of the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League. With the Wolves he appeared in one preseason game. The Podhale native showed everyone what a force he could be when early in training camp one his shots broke the glass on the boards.
He quickly became a fan-favorite for the team as he flourished on the ice. In his rookie ECHL season, the six foot Polish forward recorded 19 goals and 27 assist for 46 points in 57 games. His point total was tied for 46th overall in the league. Among U23 players his points ranked ninth in the league. It was also fifth among rookies in the ECHL this year. It earned him rookie of the year honors on the Komets team.
This tweet really stuck out to me, as it something that has always rung true about Łyszczarczyk. He seems to have the statistics that others players who get drafted or receive big chances do. At the time of writing a few years ago, only three players that matched Łyszczarczyk’s OHL rookie year production did not get drafted. Of the top 10 U23 players for points in the ECHL, Łyszczarczyk is one of the only two to not receive any kind of American Hockey League call-up during the season. One of the issues that hurt his OHL years was consistent production. It wasn’t a problem this year in the ECHL.
The reason may lie in something that has nothing to do with his offensive game though. “He’s got vision that you can’t teach, He can see the open ice. He skates extremely well. He can make those skill plays. He places the puck where he wants to. Offensively, he’s really gifted. The only thing keeping him out of the next level is his defensive awareness. That’s why he’s here, to learn that. I think he’s getting better at that,” Fort Wayne coach Ben Boudreau told the Journal Gazette.
During the year Łyszczarczyk was able to earn the trust of the coaching staff in defensive situations. This is just showing another evolution in his game. Everything I could tell you about him as a player is the same as the quotes from Boudreau. Łyszczarczyk is a like firework show on offense, you just have to sit back and enjoy. Offensively he can shoot with the best of them, break any defenders’ ankles, and set up his teammates for the easiest goals of their lives. His all-around game is really starting to come together and that is going to open a lot of doors at the next level.
Next season is all mystery still in the COVID-19 world. The Komets did initially make Łyszczarczyk a restricted free agent, but Łyszczarczyk returned to Europe and joined fellow young national team forward Pawel Zygmunt on HC Litvinov. HC Litvinov plays in the top level of Czechia hockey the Tipsport Extraliga. Club director Pavel Hynek commented on the signing saying, “Alan is a player who records progress every year. He achieved excellent results in the youth categories in the Czech Republic and was able to confirm them both in the Canadian junior and in the first season among men.” As of right now, the deal is only a one-month tryout.
Right after he agreed to his try-out in Czechia, more news broke on his future. The Idaho Steelheads traded for his ECHL rights. Their head coach Everett Sheen offered a lot of praise, “Alan is a tremendous young talent and had a very productive rookie season. We are excited to add a young offensive talent like him.” As of writing the ECHL has not announced any return to play plans.
This was Łyszczarczyk’s last year on the list. It has been interesting to follow his U23 career since he was 16, and I have talked to plenty of coaches, staff, and other writers in that time. One thing everyone will tell you about Łyszczarczyk is that he is an amazing person. He likes to keep things lose and is always smiling. On top of that, no one works harder than him. That hard work has taken him from Poland to Czechia to Canada for junior hockey and now professional hockey in Czechia and the United States. He makes progress every single season, and with his work ethic, the sky is the limit.
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