Podhale Nowy Targ appears to be back in business. The club has continued their shocking offseason by adding two of the biggest names in Polish hockey in back-to-back days. The club announced one-year deals for Damian Kapica and Patryk Wronka this week. Both players played for Cracovia in 2023 and were under contract for 2024 but terminated their agreement due to budget restrictions with the club.

Damian Kapica has long been one of the best players in Polish hockey. He has suffered multiple injury issues over the past few seasons. He has remained effective when in the lineup and posted 49 points (23G–26A-PTS) in 42 games this past season. Kapica has played with Cracovia since the 2016 season. In that time, the forward won three PHL championships, one Polish Cup, and one IIHF Continental Cup. It’s a homecoming for Kapica, who developed in the Nowy Targ system and played for the senior club in 2010, 2011, and 2015. Kapica has scored 578 points (254G-324A-578PTS) in 587 games across 14 PHL seasons. His 578 points are the fifth most in the league since he debuted.

Patryk Wronka is one of the most exciting hockey players in Europe. For non-Polish fans, watch his highlights, and you will become a Wronka fan. The 5’6 forward is also returning to his former home. Wronka developed in the Podhale Nowy Targ junior system and played for the club from 2014 to 2016. He posted his second 60-plus point season in a row in 2023, with 65 points (27G-38A-65PTS) in 53 games. The skilled playmaker has also appeared outside of Poland with Orli Znojmo in the EBEL and a split season between British club the Belfast Giants and French Club Gap. In his PHL career, Wronka has 415 points in 407 PHL games. He won a PHL championship with GKS Katowice in 2022 and was a part of the Polish National team squad that won silver and promotion at this year’s D1 Group A World Championship.

Kapica and Wronka are the latest in a string of surprising, high-profile moves for the club. The team also signed Poland’s top North American duo of Alex Szczechura and Mike Cichy. The pair have over 400 career PHL points and have always been among the league’s top scorers. The club also saw the return of star Swedish goalie Kevin Lindskoug, who briefly played for Podhale in 2022 before leaving for Unia Oswiecim. I am also excited by the addition of 6’6 Belarusian defender Dmitri Zalamay who has posted a .42 point per game average across eight seasons in Belarus’ top league.

The moves are considered shocking because of the club’s lack of competitiveness in recent seasons. Podhale also had well-reported budget issues, which saw the club rely mainly on youth talent the past two seasons. 2021 was the team’s last playoff appearance, as they finished seventh and were eliminated in the quarter-finals. The club finished last place the past two seasons with seven total wins. Times seem to be changing with new president Natalia Charyasz and a reported new title sponsor coming in.

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