Sorry for the delay for the next entry into the rankings. But we now enter the top 25% of the players ranked with quite a few of the best U20 players, key THL contributors, and our top ranked goalie!

Players had to be under the age of 23 and at least 16 years old on June 1st, 2024. 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 five games to be considered. While the ranking is only my opinion, numerous coaches, staff, and players contributed their thoughts on players. 175 players were considered for the list and reviewed. Eighty players received a ranking.

Players Ranked 80-41

Players Ranked 40-21

20 – Krystian Lisowski (F), 19, Kiekko-Espoo U20 Ch, (19,-1)

Lisowski sees his ranking stay almost the same after moving up to Finland’s top level of U20 hockey. It was not a grand debut at the U20 level in the Kiekk-Espoo organization, as he mostly spent time with their challenger squad. In 33 games, he would score two goals and assist on two while being a -23. A late-season transfer saw him move to Ketterä U20, where he had three points (2G-1A-3PTS) in seven games. Lisowski also appeared with Poland U20 in some non-IIHF competitions but did not make the IIHF squad. The 5’10 center will be moving down a level in the Finnish U20 competition but staying with the Ketterä organization in 2025. It was not a great first year of U20 hockey, but the talented center should be able to regain his confidence and continue his development in the U20 Mestis. His current production doesn’t suggest a professional career in Finland, but I expect him to be a pivotal contributor to Poland U20 this season.  

19 – Karol Sobecki (D), 19, MOSM Tychy, (28, +9) 

Sobecki rises once again on our list as he remains one of the best U20 defensive prospects in the country. The former Poland U18 captain debuted for the U20 squad this year, picking up an assist and eight shots in four games at the Division 1 Group B U20 World Championship. He was only one of two Polish skaters to finish positive at the event. After playing 18 THL games as a 17-year-old in 2023, Sobecki’s time with GKS Tychy in 2024 was limited to only four appearances. In 2024, 6’0 Tychy native the showed his two-way strength in the MHL with 13 points (5G-8A-13PTS) in 21 games. The young defender excels defensively and shows poise beyond his age. In 2025, Sobecki has become a more regular part of the GKS Tychy lineup. 

18 – Blazej Chodor (D), 19, GKS Katowice, (20, +2)

Another young defender is next as Chodor took a big step in his career playing his first year of THL hockey. The 18-year-old defenseman got in 28 games with GKS Katowice, the fifth most by an U20 skater. He also played at Poland’s second level, where he was third among U20 defenders, scoring 23 points (7G-16A-23PTS). Chodor is a dynamic player with all the tools you could want in an all-around defenseman. More time with experienced players and better coaching will do him wonders. This year, he showed some growing pains, especially in a game with Poland U20 vs Ukraine U20. But U20 events are just a dress rehearsal for the top level, and I see Chodor as a key defender for the national team in the future. 

17 –  Jakub Prokurat (F), 23, KH Torun, (21, +4)

Prokurat is undersized, but you see his potential when you watch him play. It looked like to begin the 2024 season he was finally putting it all together. He picked up where he left off last year with KH Torun after a late-season transfer from GKS Katowice. Unfortunately, he would go through a cold spell before a late season production revival. Prokurat would finish the year with three goals and six assists in 37 games—these marked career highs for him at the top Polish level. Consistency is vital for the young forward. If Prokurat can put it together for an entire season, he can be a top-six forward. 

16 – Fabian Kapica (F), 22, Cracovia Krakow, (4, -12)

You’ll have some misses when you rank and judge over 100 players every year. No miss for me was as big as Kapica. The skilled young forward showed a lot of good things with Podhale in 2023, and a late move to Cracovia saw him post four assists in eight games. With Cracovia focusing on young Polish players more in 2024, I thought Kapica’s skillset would make him a leader in that movement. Unfortunately, the Nowy Targ native struggled to find a more significant role and finished the year with only two assists in 35 games. The skill is there, and the size will be a hurdle, but his puck-handling skills are so good. Cracovia is much more competitive this year, so Kapica must fight and show growth to move up the lineup. 

15 –  Michał Naróg (D), 23, Zaglebie Sosnowiec, (18, +3)

A steady presence on the Sosnowiec blue line, Narog continues to move up the rankings. His growth hasn’t exploded like other players, but Narog has found his role on an emerging squad. This past year, the 5’11 defenseman found the back of the net once while assisting on six goals. His seven points were in line with his typical production. As older players age off the Polish national team defense, Narog will be in contention to take their spots. He might not have star potential, but I see him as a top 4 THL defender while fighting for the top six and depth spots with the national team. 

14 – Eryk Schafer (D), 20, KH Torun, (17, +3)

A ball of energy, Schafer had a massive year as he captained Poland U20 at their IIHF World Championship. He was one of Poland’s leading scorers at the event, with three assists. He spent most of the club year with Torun, getting in 32 games and posting two assists. He is an exciting player who isn’t afraid to get physical or take risks, which don’t always pay off, but I love the big play ability. He’ll learn with experience the best time to take those chances. Now that the 6’2 defender has aged off the U20 squad, I expect to see him start getting chances with the national team for non-IIHF camps in the coming seasons. 

13 – Mateusz Bezwinski (F), 23, Cracovia Krakow, (37, +24)

As Cracovia searched for answers among their young homegrown talents, Bezwinski ran with the opportunity. Beziwnski posted a career-high of 16 points (4G-12A-16PTS) in 42 games. His 16 points were the third most among U23 skaters and seventh among Cracovia forwards. He really showed off his playmaking abilities and good offensive IQ this past season. After missing almost all of 2023, this was an incredible comeback year. He now looks like a player whose ceiling could soon be the Polish national team. For 2025, he will likely play a top-nine role for Cracovia. 

12 – Oliwier Kurnicki (D), 20, KH Torun, (26, +14)

Kurnicki looks to be a part of Poland’s next defensive core. In only his age 19 season, he has become a full-time member of the KH Torun defense, posting one assist in 38 games. With Torun, he formed a good pair with Swedish defender Albin Thyni Johansson, who often played large-minute games together.  He represented both the Polish U20 and senior squads. With the U20 team, he recorded a goal and assist in five games on seven shots. With the senior team, he posted two assists in five non-IIHF games. He boasts solid size and the ability to clear the zone but needs to do it all consistently. 

11 – Igor Tyczyński (G), 18, SMS PZHL Katowice, (22, +11)

Our top goalie in the rankings, Tyczyński, was the starting goalie for the U18 and U20 national teams this year! Goalies are always hard to judge, and I am usually bullish on ranking them highly because of multiple variables. Still, whenever I see Tyczyński play, I see a star in net. This year in the MHL, he stood out for SMS PZHL Katowice with a .925 SV% in 19 games. He was even better in the playoffs, posting a .956 SV% in four appearances. At the U18s, he posted two shutouts in his four games as Poland swept through Division 2 Group A. At the U20 level, he played great against Estonia and helped Poland to an upset win over Italy U20 to stay in Division 1 Group B. 

Tyczyński is easily the best goaltending prospect Poland has seen in a while, but his ceiling is hard to predict. Young goalies in Poland don’t get to play much above the MHL; it is hard for a Polish goalie to move on past the second level. Only one Polish goalie played in 20 THL games or more last year, Miarka at 20 games. Only four played in 10 games or more. While it won’t matter much for next season, Tyczyński will soon need to step up his level of competition to continue to improve. Will it come in Poland is hard to say given the track record the country has with recent goalies. You could argue that his U18 backup, Wieczorek, has the higher ceiling based solely on him having a Swiss player license and getting to move up the Swiss ranks without counting as an import. I hope to see Tyczyński get picked up by a THL team after another stellar season in the MHL.

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