With just a few days left in 2023, and the 2024 Women’s Division 1 Group B U18 World Championship right around the corner. We start our annual ranking of the top 50 women’s U20 players from 2023. This is the first and largest piece as we drop the first thirty players to be ranked, along with the honorable mentions. The women’s list always features plenty of change as new young stars emerge while others end their careers before their senior careers have a chance. The growth of hockey in Poland continues, especially on the women’s side. The rise in talent I have seen while covering the sport is exponential making this list harder and harder every year.

Players had to be under the age of 20 and at least 13 years old on June 1st, 2023. 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. Skaters must have played at least three games to be considered. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. 103 players were considered for the list and reviewed. Fifty players received a ranking.

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical Order): Aleksandra Langner (D), Dominika Wesolek (F), Julia Nawrat (D), Justyna Koszyk (G), Karolina Pierwola (F), & Magdalena Figiel (F).

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2022, change in rankings) 

50 – Antonina Palion (F), 16, Naprzod Janow (NR)

Palion makes her list debut in her second season in the senior league. This year, she recorded her first goal while adding an assist as well. The Katowice native was also able to get her first U18 look as she played for Poland during the four-nations tournament. 

49 – Zuzanna Szafarczyk (F), 17, Naprzod Janow, (NR)

Szafarczyk is a veteran of the TAURON Liga Hokeja Kobiet (TLHK) at only 17. She has played in the league since the 2018-19 season, all with Janow. Her production during that time hasn’t increased much. This year, she posted two goals and three assists in 15 games, a slight rise in her point-per-game average. At 17 and with loads of experience, this could be a big year for her. 

48 – Iga Kosturska (D), 14, KS Cracovia 1906, (NR)

Kosturska is hard to chart, given we only have three senior games of experience. This included a game where the Sanok native scored her first TLHK goal. The young defender has done well at the junior levels and already received U18 team consideration in 2023. 

47 – Karolina Gawandtka (F), 14, Polonia Bytom, (NR)

One of the challenges that the women’s ranking has is the amount of very young players that break into the senior league. It can be hard to project someone so young. Gawandtka debuted at just 13 years old and scored two goals in her seven games. With the restructuring of how Polonia Bytom will appear in the league for 2024, she will serve in a much bigger role. 

46 – Dominika Panol (G), 13, Naprzod Janow, (NR)

The same challenges we talked about for Gawandtka are bigger for goalies. During her only 12-year-old season, Panol was able to get in a few games for Janow at the senior level. During that time, she only allowed four goals during 100 minutes. This included a strong performance where she stopped all 15 shots she faced against Podhale. She is penciled in to get a lot more time in Janow as the crowded crease clears. 

44 – Oliwia Chrapek (G), 15, HK Karviná, (NR)

Chrapek was one of the few Polish players who moved to HK Karviná last offseason. The young goalie played with their B team during the year. Some solid performances at the lower level of senior hockey earned her a place on the top squad for 2024. She will also be competing for the starting job on team Poland U18. 

44 – Amelia Firek (D), 16, Polonia Bytom, (43, -1) 

Firek made the move from Cracovia to Bytom for the new season. This year, she would spend the majority of her year in junior hockey. With Bytom U16, she posted a goal and an assist in 18 games. In her time with the senior club, the 5’7 defender recorded two points (1G-1A-2PTS) in 12 games. Firek’s two points were eighth among U20 defensemen in the TLHK.

43 – Sandra Piotrowska (F), 17, Unia Oswiecim, (33, -10) 

Piotrowska takes a fall on the list after a slight production decline. This year, the forward recorded four assists in 17 games. This comes after an eight-point year in the previous season. The Oswiecim offense as a whole was a lot stronger in 2022, so the point drop-off is not too unexpected.  

42 – Magdalena Mroszczak (F), 19, Podhale Nowy Targ, (NR)

In a year where scoring was down, especially for U20 players, Mroszczak maintained her 2022 production. She finished tied for second on Podhale in points with seven. On a better team, she would be an asset and raise her production. Her skating and puck skills are her best attributes.

41 – Julia Nowak (F), 16, Polonia Bytom, (NR) 

Nowak breaks onto the list for the first time. She made her senior debut during the 2023 season but played mostly with the Bytom U16 squad. At the U16 level, she scored once in 20 appearances. Her production luck was much better at the senior level; there, with the TLHK champions, Nowak scored twice and assisted on another in 13 games. 

40 – Magdalena Olszewska (F), 18, KS Cracovia 1906, (46, +6)

Olszewska finished up her U18 career with a solid season. While she didn’t make the IIHF U18 squad, she still got some games, appearing at the Four Nations tournament, where she scored against Iceland. For her club season, she posted six assists in ten games for Cracovia. I feel that, at this point, her ceiling is a first-liner on the lower TLHK teams. 

39 – Amelia Bula (F), Unia Oswiecim, (26, -13)

Bula moved to Oswiecim this year after playing with Janow from 2019 to 2022. She initially moved to Oswiecim during the previous year’s playoffs. This was also her lowest-scoring season since her debut year in 2019. In 17 games, she scored seven goals while adding an assist. Her seven goals were tied for eighth for U20 skaters. 

38 – Edyta Cybula (D), 17, HC Karviná, (NR)

Cybula is a hard player to rank, another one who went to Czechia after the absence of Jastrzebie in the TLHK. They made their first IIHF U18 squad, playing a bottom-pairing role at the event. Their 2024 season is their final U18 year. With a chance to play in the top Czechia women’s league, it could be a huge year to see what her potential really is. 

37 – Maja Malinowska (F), 14, Naprzod Janow (NR)

Malinowska took a big step in her sophomore season. She became a full-time part of the Janow lineup. Malinowska rewarded the team by setting up three goals and scoring two of her own. This saw her finish in the top ten for U16 scoring, and we expect her to get plenty of U18 looks in 2024.

36 – Blanka Smolka (F), 14, HC Karviná, (NR)

Smolka is a bit of an underrated player since she plays in the lower levels of Czechia. But if you look at the numbers, they’re amazing. At the junior level, in only 21 games, she has 42 goals! Add in 12 assists, and that is 2.57 points per game average. She also has some time at the second senior level, recording five points (3G-2A-5PTS) in ten games. I am interested to see a lot more of Smolka in 2024

35 – Wiktoria Kierc (F), 18, Atomowki Tychy, (18, -17)

Kierc is our first major faller of the year. The long-time UKH Biale Jastrzebie forward had a great season in 2022, which saw her move to Tyhcy for 2023. It was a large fish in a small pond situation with Jastzrbie. On a better team, she recorded seven points (3G-4A-7PTS) in 19 games. While down from her 24 points in 15 games the previous season. She also has run out of U18 eligibility and did not appear with the team during the year. Her seven points were still tied among the top 20 for U20 scoring. 

34 – Laura Bulas (D), 18, Naprzod Janow (35, +1)

Bulas is a player that has a lot of good tools. She has decent size, okay two-way play, and can play big minutes. She is a lock to be a top-four defender in the TLHK. She hasn’t received many looks or opportunities from the national team, and none last year in her final U18 eligibility year. With Janow, she assisted on eight goals in 15 games. This put her in a tie for the most points by a U20 defenseman in the TLHK. 

33 – Natalia Wanczuk (F), 15, Naprzod Janow (NR)

Janow has a lot of young players on this list, and there are still more to come. Wanczuk had a successful sophomore year, posting new career highs in goals and assists. She was tied for seventh in points for U16 players with 7 (1G-6A-7PTS). She has good height and ability, and Wanczuk is a forward to watch for the U18 squad for the next few years. 

32 – Emilia Nosal (D), 17, Podhale Nowy Targ, (38, +6)

Nosal returned to the Poland U18 squad and claimed her second silver medal at the D1B U18 World Championship. She mainly played a defensive role at the U18s and only fired off three shots. Her club season was limited to only five games, where she posted one goal and one assist. At 5’11, she is one of the tallest players at the national team’s disposal while still being a great skater. Nosal is also a talented luger who has competed at the Women’s World Championships and Youth Olympics.

31 – Natalia Kozlowska (F), 16, Polonia Bytom, (NR)

Kozlowska has been in a crowded Bytom system but found a way to make an impact in 2023. In her first season with the senior club, she managed a point per game regular season after netting five points (1G-4A-5PTS) in five games. The Bytom native got in two playoff games as well. She spent some time on the men’s U16 team and played in 11 games. She seems to be on the fast track to the U18 squad. 

30 – Milena Szlachtowska (F), 15, Podhale Nowy Targ, (NR)

On a rough Podahle team, Szlachtowska found a way to produce. She finished tied for second on the team in points with seven (3G-4A-7PTS). That production at a young age on a poor offense is impressive. She is moving to Bytom for 2024 and should be an impact player there and for the U18 squad. 

29 –  Lena Kabelis-Szostakowska (D), 15, Naprzod Janow, (40, +11)

Kabelis-Szostakowska makes the list for a second straight year. She has stayed with Janow in the TLHK. The young defender, who played some forward as well, posted one assist in 13 games. She gained a few looks for the U18 squad but did not make the 2023 squad. She should start to be a consistent part of the U18 defense in 2024 with her strong two-way abilities. 

28 – Alicja Mota (F), 19, Polonia Bytom, (17, -11)

Mota’s first season outside her U18 was a short one. The two-time TLHK champ played for Bytom in three games, picking up the same amount of goals. She got a more extended run with Silesian Metropolis, where she was held pointless in six matches. She has not committed to playing anywhere for the 2024 season. 

27 –  Alicja Gacek (D), 16, Podhale Nowy Targ, (47, +20)

Gacek is one of the first big risers on the list this year. The young defender posted three points (1G-2A-3PTS) in 11 games with Podhale last year. Her three points were good for fifth among U18 defenders and saw her point per game average rise to .27 from .06. She also received some run with the U18 squad playing at the November 2022 four nations tournament, where she scored against Spain. 

26 – Alicja Kobiela (G), 16, Naprzod Janow, (NR) 

Kobiela was able to get in a few games for Janow last season. The young goalie has already been a part of the senior league for four years. Her .795 save percentage was sixth among U20 goalies in the TLHK. She also served as the backup on the 2023 U18 squad but did not appear in a game at the IIHF U18s. She played in relief a couple of times during the exhibition season, not allowing a goal. Kobiela should be competing and in the lead for the U18 starting job in 2024. 

25 – Agata Cybulska (F), 15, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (24, -1)

Cybulska moved to Gdansk in 2023, and the reduced role on a strong team definitely affected her production. During the regular season, she scored three goals and assisted on one in 12 games. This was a far cry from the 21 points she posted with Poznan during the 2022 regular season. Still, when it came to playoffs, the dynamic scorer reemerged, as she had four goals and two assists in just six playoff games. She was also a member of team Poland U18s for the IIHF D1B U18 World Championships. For 2024, she has moved back to Poznan. 

24  – Nikola Wencel (D), 17, Naprzod Janow, (42, +18)

Wencel jumps on the list after a solid season on the backend. She made her first Poland U18 squad. Wencel showed some good plays on breakouts and picked up two assists at the tournament. The Janow defensemen played in 10 TLHK games going pointless. Her strength is definitely on the defensive side, but the two-way potential is definitely there. She should be one of the leading defenders for Poland at the next U18s. 

23 – Nikola Isztok (D), 16, Polonia Bytom, (28, +5)

Isztok has made a huge jump after her move to Bytom from Cracovia. The young defender played a lot of hockey in 2023. For Bytom, she appeared in 15 games, scoring twice and picking up one assist. She also received her second straight call-up to the Polish U18 squad for the D1B U18 World Championship. That was not the only call up as she played for Poland’s EWHL team, Silesian Metropolis. Getting that callup to the EWHL squad shows the national team thinks highly of her. 

22 – Weronika Świątek (F), 15, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (25, +3)

After a standout year for a young forward in 2022, Świątek moved to the Gdansk system. With a smaller role, she still found ways to produce. She finished with eight points (5G-3A-8PTS) in 16 games, thanks to a strong playoff. Her year was topped off by making her first IIHF U18 squad for Poland. She did very well in pre-tournament games, scoring versus Slovakia in the Olympic Hopes Tournament. The Poznan native is moving back to her home club for 2024. 

21 – Anna Sencerz (F), 15, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (23, +2)

Sencerz jumps on the list after another strong season with Gdasnk but an even stronger showing at the U18s. At U18s, she was only 14, but her offensive skills were well beyond her age. She finished with a goal and assist on nine shots. Her play in her own zone needs some work, but that is more than expected with the age difference. Her club season was solid, with seven points (3G-4A-7PTS) in 17 games. She is making the move to Bytom for the 2024 season.

Next Part: Players 20-11

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_. Also, support us on Patreon to help keep the content flowing!