We now break into the top ten. This is the part of the list where it becomes the hardest to separate players. There is so much talent in Poland, especially on the defensive end. In the end, this is the group of players that I feel confident is the next core of the Polish national team.

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.

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

10 – Wiktoria Kędra (D), 20, Atomowki Tychy, (19, +9)

Kędra makes one last appearance on the list after establishing herself as part of the senior national team. The defensemen represented Poland at the D1B World Championship, playing in all five games. The senior national team call-up was unsurprising as she was a mainstay with Silesian Metropolis in the EWHL. With the EWHL squad, she played in 16 games, assisting on a single goal. The stay-at-home defender is also a valuable part of the Tychy defense in the TLHK, where she recorded two assists in 17 games. Kędra is most relied on in her zone, but her strong breakout work should lead to more assists during their career. 

9 – Natalia Nosal (D), 19, Podhale Nowy Targ, (13, +4)

In my opinion, Nosal is the best defensive prospect inside Poland right now. The talented young defender has great athleticism and good size at 5’10. Both of those attributes boost her two-way games. In the TLHK, she is a game-changing player, leading Podhale in points with eight (7G-1A-8PTS). She made her second and final appearance for Poland U18. She was Poland’s best defenseman at the tournament. She also showed her offensive side there and was tied for second in scoring on Poland after recording a goal and two assists. Nosal also got to play in the EWHL, where she picked up two assists in four games. She could start making the senior national team as soon as 2024.

8 – Justyna Żyła (F), 18, Almtuna IS, (10, +2)

The captain of the Polish U18 squad is next in our rankings. Żyła jumped to Sweden for the 2023 season after five years with Unia Oswiecim. In Sweden’s NDHL, she split her time between Almtuna IS and Västerås IK. Much of her success came with Almtuna IS, where she scored six goals and assisted on three in eight games. Her ten total points were third among non-Swedish U18 players in the league. Her best success this year came with the squad she captains for Poland. On the U18 team, she was tied for the lead in points with four (2G-2A-4PTS).  Żyła has improved her all-around game in Sweden, and I am excited that she is now spending another year in the country with Team Uppsala HC. 

7 – Patrycja Wójcik (D), 18, EHC Zunzgen-Sissach Damen, (9, +2)

Developing a defense is hard, especially players that excel in their own zone. Wójcik is as steady as they come in Poland’s zone. Her poise and defensive awareness are among the best for Polish defenders, regardless of age. After a stellar year in 2022 that saw her debut in the senior national team, Wójcik moved to Switzerland. This year, she split time between EHC Zunzgen-Sissach Damen, who plays in the second level of senior hockey, and Northwest United Green U17. She appeared in ten games at each level, recording six U17 assists and one helper with the senior squad. 

Wójcik made her second appearance for Poland U18 as well. She was a defensive force at the tournament and finished with a plus-six rating despite going pointless and posting only four shots. This was in big part due to her ability to suppress opposing shots. Her game will be key for Poland as they advance up the World hockey rankings. If her defensive growth continues at its current pace, I think she will be a top-two defender for Poland. The Chorzow native returned to Switzerland and EHC Zunzgen-Sissach Damen for the 2024 season. 

6 – Nadia Ratajczyk (G), 18, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (14, +8)

No player was more important to Poland’s success at the U18s than Ratajczyk. The young goalie was outstanding in her four appearances, stopping 56 out of the 59 shots she faced. You’re doing something right when you finish with three shutouts in four chances. The long-time Gdansk goalie also got the call-up to the EWHL. There, with Silesian Metropolis, she posted .878 SV% in four games. The crease is crowded in Poland, and games can be limited. I am excited that Ratajczyk is moving to Sweden for the 2024 season. I think getting a chance to play more outside Poland will aid her development exponentially. Ratajczyk should be in the battle for the backup role on team Poland going forward.

Next Part: Players 5-3

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