Last year, Poland’s U18 squad marched through Division 2 Group A. They secured gold and promotion with a final goal differential of 34-5. Of course, with the nature of the beast that is junior hockey Poland sees 13 of those players age out of U18 hockey for the next and greater challenge.
Poland is heading to Lithuania to participate in the Division 1 Group B U18 World Championship. It’s a level where young Polish players haven’t been able to stick recently. Often finding themselves relegated just a year after their return. Now more than ever, staying up in Division One is essential. The country has some packed classes in 2009, 2010, and 2011. If Poland can stay up now, it’s more of a chance those players will wear the white and red, and the whole group benefits from better competition.
3/13. Game 1 vs. Japan
Poland’s first opponent in the group is Japan. These two met earlier this year, and Poland won 6-4 in Hungary. The roster is also really similar, with only three players swapped on Japan. One of those swaps is Akira Watanabe, a young two-way defenseman who plays in Germany. He is one of the country’s best prospects and could be a game changer.
Japan was relegated from Group A last year and will see two of their top five scorers age off, as well as their primary starting goalie. On paper, the recently relegated team vs the newly promoted is usually an easy win for the team going down to Group B. I wouldn’t count out Poland for game one. They faced this Japan team already and found ways to score six times.
3/14. Game 2 vs. Estonia
Estonia is a rapidly rising hockey program thanks to its partnerships with powerhouses Finland and Latvia. Most of the team plays with Team EESTI U16, an Estonian squad in the Finnish junior system. With that, they are the youngest team in the tournament by far, with an average age of 16.39. Poland is the oldest at 17.39. While it may be just a year, that can mean a lot in junior hockey.
Estonia only returns one of its top five scorers, Nikita Antonov. Starting goalie Daniel Nefedov will also return, giving this young team a much-needed boost. Poland will rely on its experienced depth to win this one, but Estonia’s stars at the top create a talent gap.
3/16. Game 3 vs. France
France U18 has been in a free fall. They went from D1A bronze in 2022 to D1A relegation in 2023 to then just fourth place in D1B for 2025. This is the lowest their U18 squad has ever ranked in the current IIHF system. Their last finish resulted in a complete coaching turnover. This is still a good junior program, but it lacks some more prominent names that Poland faced in the past. Noa Besson will be a forward you have to contain. France only returns two of the top five scorers from last year, but will retain their starting goalie. This game would be ugly, but Poland may be able to catch France in a rebuilding year.
On a side note, Gabriel Da Costa, who holds Polish citizenship and played in Poland from 2006 to 2010, is an assistant coach for this squad.
3/18. Game 4 vs. Lithuania
The host of the tournament and one of the fastest rising programs in the IIHF. Longtime QMJHL head coach and GM Mario Durocher leads the team. He has assembled a squad of players playing worldwide, many in strong leagues. This is the game I don’t see Poland winning. There is a sizeable talent gap and experience gap in stronger hockey countries. Maybe you can hope they have chemistry issues due to a lack of time together. Poland beat Lithuania twice this year in exhibition games, but those lineups were less than half of the players, Poland will see at this event. To win it will have to be one of the Polish goalies who come up big.
3/19. Game vs. South Korea
South Korea is always the hardest squad to figure out, as their leagues don’t have much accessible information. Only one player abroad, Kyounghun Oh, plays in the CSSHL U18 in Canada. They came in fifth last year, which makes them the biggest target for Team Poland. An even bigger reason is that last year they scored 15 goals. Of those 15 goals, 11 were scored by Moo Kyung Kang, Junsu Kwak, and Sung Kyu Lim, who are all not returning for 2025. South Korea will return just one player who recorded a point from last year and neither of their goalies. It is a new squad, but they’re all on the older side. Once the tournament gets started, we will find out how winnable this game is.
Overall, I really only count Poland out for one game. I see realistic paths in the remaining four games. If you’re looking at staying up in Division One, you likely need to take two games. I think that is possible for the white and red in 2025.
Staying up for Poland will be a team effort. I don’t think this roster has a single player who could rocket up NHL draft boards, but I think this team has more depth than Polish rosters of the past. That is evidenced by their lead-up this year, which included strong performances in losses to Latvia U18 and wins during the year versus D1B foes Lithuania and Japan. These five will be key to staying up for the first time since 2013.
Wiktor Makula
Makula had a quiet club season in Czechia, only recording two goals and three assists in 34 regular-season games with HC Ocelari Trinec U20. He ranked 46th out of 74 forwards for his age in points. But throughout the year, he remained a top scorer for Poland, recording six goals in exhibition matches. His latest was a highlight reel in-between-the-legs goal against Latvia. I love seeing that offensive confidence out of a young player. Poland has been desperate for offense at the D1B level, and Makula should find the back of the net a few times.
Mikolaj Osiadly
One of the top U18 scorers in the MHL this past year, Osiadly was a force for Jastrzebie. He has been a solid producer for Poland U18 at non-IIHF games, so I’m excited to see him on the big stage. As Jastrzebie is about to go through some tough times at the senior level, he is one player quite a few have hyped up to me about the possibility of making a quick impact at a young age.
Wojciech Wilczok
Wilczok is the lone player on this squad to have already debuted in the THL. The young defenseman got in two games with GKS Tychy this year, even picking up an assist. A former U18 champion and member of the Zietara Polish Eagles during his youth days, Wilczok will be counted on to step up and make an impact in his own zone.
Tymoteusz Petrazycki
Petrazycki has quickly become one of the best junior goal scorers in the country. He already has represented both the U20 and U18 squads at IIHF events. In his two events so far, he has eight goals. He also just had his first 20-goal season in the MHL. With good size and awareness in the offensive zone, Poland will count on him just like they did last year when he helped the squad reach Division One.
Leon Stryczek
The youngest member of Team Poland may also have had one of the most impressive club seasons. This year with HC Vítkovice U17, the 16-year-old scored 42 points in 38 games, leading his team in scoring by eight points! Strong physical traits and great playmaking ability means Stryczek could be a great piece to help white and red stay up in Division One this year then be an offensive leader in 2026.
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