Now just the final three left in the rankings. These three are special players that have no right to be as good as they are just based on the odds of how Polish hockey has developed. The odds didn’t matter though, and at such a young age, they have inspired a generation of hockey fans in Poland that bigger things are possible. Two of the top three are very close in age, and have already made a tremendous impact on the sport in the country, while our number three player is a bit behind them in age, they have made their own impact in a very short time.
Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. We are only judging play that occurred before that date as well. Players are evaluated based on a combination of career history, current play, and potential. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.
Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)
3 – Magdalena Łąpieś (F), 16, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (20, +17)
When I ranked Łąpieś last year, she was only 14 turning 15 soon and had just put up a 20 point year in the PLHK A. There are a lot of really young forwards in the PLHK A that put up great numbers in their early years, and then try to chase that point total for the rest of their career. Of course, there is a multitude of reasons for this. One big thing you never see out of a lot of those players is a massive leap in their skillset. They rise, but not to the level their early success in the PLHK A would indicate. Łąpieś was already a different beast then them putting up 20 points in her first senior season.
Her 2021 season would suggest a similar path to a lot of the players I alluded to previously. As she went from 20 points in the regular season to just 11. But that doesn’t tell the whole story of her season and play. As she has quickly become one of the most lethal offensive options in Poland. Her game in the opposing zone is the complete package, and she is not only going to be a dominating force in Polish senior leagues but outside of Poland as well. If she wants to expand her game outside of Poland, I don’t believe it would be due to a lack of options at all.
Łąpieś did play in Poland for the 2022 season staying with Gdansk and earning larger roles with national teams both at the IIHF and EWHL levels. All rankings are based on 2021 play, but it would be hard for me to write about her, and not acknowledge the fact, the proof is there in 2022 that Łąpieś is a special player. I hope her success this year is enough for a team outside of Poland to present her an offer that would get her to leave Poland. Regardless Poland already has their next top 6 forward, and potentially someone that could pass Sikorska or Pozniewska.
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