The Olympic qualifiers were a disappointment for Poland. A rare time that hockey was on television in Poland, it was in front of a hometown crowd in Sosnowiec, and it was a chance to continue the momentum of the national team. The TV ratings were strong, but it wasn’t full in the stands. Zagłębie Sosnowiec averaged 1,994 fans a game this year in the THL despite sitting towards the bottom of the standings. During the three games, the national team only averaged 1,282 fans per game at the three-day weekend event.

Fans might have been right to stay home with the lackluster performance the national team put in. Players just seemed to overlook their opponents and play unmotivated and unserious hockey. It feels like a major reset is needed for the national team ahead of the Worlds. How serious is the Polish national team when it comes to competing in the Elite division? With that in mind, I made a few moves that considered the future of the national team while also trying to keep them competitive.

We’re also not taking the easy way out in this. John Murray and Tomas Fucik will 100% be on the men’s national team roster for the Worlds if available. Goaltending wasn’t the issue for Poland at this event. David Zabolotny and Maciej Miarka held up well for Poland. There will be a boost in net, but goaltending isn’t why they took third when their Olympic hopes were on the line.

5 Players In

Alan Łyszczarczyk – Łyszczarczyk is an easy pick. The Tychy forward missing the Olympic Qualifiers is the only player I will accept as a major reason for the offensive dropoff. No one creates more dangerous scoring chances in Poland than him. His addition to the powerplay and top six will instantly boost the offense.

Filip Starzyński – Probably another player that is an easy pick. Starzyński was also out with an injury. He is one of the best defensive forwards in Poland. This year, he has been on a scoring heater with 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points, all three categories being career THL highs. With a few of the other moves I make, a top defensive forward will be needed.

Arkadiusz Kostek – Kostek is our lone defensive change for right now. I wanted to make additional moves on defense, but more on that later. Kostek will add a steady addition to the backend along with some leadership. The red and white looked flustered in their own zone. Kostek plays his best in that area and should be able to play some big defensive minutes for Poland.

Patryk Krężołek – Krężołek has yet to make his IIHF debut for Poland at 25 years old. That is a bit shocking, given he has been one of the best goal-scorers in Poland over the past five seasons. After a scoring drought last year with Katowice, he moved to Sosnowiec and currently leads the THL in goals with 21. One of the best shooters in Poland should be the first addition to a Polish squad that couldn’t find the back of the net.

Krzysztof Maciaś – The new prince of Polish hockey deserves a spot on the roster. Macias has had a strong year in the WHL, scoring 19 goals and assisting on 13. He also has received high grades from a few scouting services. Puck Preps grades him at 76 overall, with his highest mark of 83 on defense. They also grade him quite well when it comes to hitting. These things should aid him in a bottom-six role in Poland. I have no doubt he is a top-20 forward for the country right now, and the World Championships could be a chance to boost his resume. If Poland can help him earn a deal in the NHL or a top European league, they should.

5 Players Out

Marcin Kolusz – After 15 World Championships and 39 years of age, it feels disrespectful to remove Kolusz from the roster just as they reach the Elite division. Kolusz also just led Poland in points at the qualifiers with three points in three games. He is slowing down on the ice and only fired off two shots at the event. The long-time national team member played a forward role on the second and third lines at the event; I want to see someone else in that space now.

Grzegorz Pasiut – One of the best Polish players of his generation, another rough veteran cut has arrived. Pasiut recorded one assist and four shots at the qualifiers. He was on the first line for the entire event, and they just didn’t seem to click. Poland needed a lot more out of the first line, and it’s another spot I eye for a shake-up.

Radoslaw Galant – Galant was a strong part of the forecheck that got Poland promoted. He turned 33 this year and has started to experience a production decline in the THL. With Filip Starzynski returning to the lineup, I feel his fourth-line spot is a good place to start a young player.

Marcin Horzelski – Horzelski didn’t have a bad tournament while filling in. He looked fine and fired off seven shots at the event. Still, I wanted to make some defensive changes, but I have no doubt Horzelski will start to be a much more regular part of the national team over the next few years.

Filip Komorski – Komorski was a late addition to the team after injuries, and he scored once. He is still a very talented forward and a great offensive player. Komorski is hard to cut for me personally. When I factor in forwards that Kalaber and his staff will likely cut, he is among the most likely.

Line-up

Bartosz Fraszko – Krystian Dziubinski – Patryk Wronka

Patryk Krezolek – Alan Lyszczarczyk – Dominik Pas

Bartlomiej Jeziorski – Kamil Walega – Pawel Zygmunt

Krzysztof Macias – Filip Starzynski – Mateusz Michalski

Patryk Wajda – Bartosz Ciura

Pawel Dronia – Arkadiusz Kostek

Jakub Wanacki – Kamil Gorny

Oskar Jaskiewicz – Mateusz Zielinski

I actually wish I could have changed out more defensemen, but this is where Poland is at right now. The defensive depth is pretty thin, and it’s hard to argue against most players. If I was making predictions, Maciej Kruczek or Yevgeni Kamenev likely grabb Mateusz Zielinski’s spot for the Worlds. I don’t think the difference between most of the defensemen is that large of a margin. In the end, the big thing for me was grabbing players that were going to create more dangerous chances. I needed to see more offensive creativity while also making the lineup faster. It also is a great chance to help elevate players who are going to be key to the future of Poland.

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