Right as Poland took to the ice on May 20th, 2024, Polska chants rang through Ostravar Aréna. It was a sold-out crowd with more than 90% of the audience cheering on the white and red. The roof would be blown off the building nine minutes into the game when Kamil Wałęga scored Poland’s first power-play goal of the tournament. The following 50 minutes of that game would not go the way Poland wanted. The final score was 3-1 in favor of Kazakhstan. Poland was relegated back to Division One, a prison they had been stuck in for 22 years. 

“That game still plays in my head and probably will forever… Unless we go back” – A Member of the 2024 squad.

Sports can be cruel like that at times. It’s not like Poland played a game where they 100% deserved to lose. You just lose sometimes. This time, it just happened to be potentially the most important game of the century for Polish hockey. It showed that when it comes down to the fundamentals and consistency, Poland just wasn’t there yet.

As deflating as the loss was, it was hard not to be hopeful for Polish hockey. So many things were going in the right direction. I was so excited for what 2025 could be for Polish hockey. I was ready for the new triumphs and insane stories to come.

The 2025 season would often be more negative than positive. It was a season that pointed to darker days ahead. If you missed part one of our preview, you can learn more in-depth about the troubles the national team is facing off the ice. To summarize, Poland is facing issues with development and funding. Now, in both a theoretical and literal sense, the national team’s funding will be tied to their performance this week in Romania. 

A new generation of Polish hockey is coming. There will be a new PZHL president this summer. The World Championship roster features seven players making their debut at the World Championship. It is time to sink or swim for Polish hockey.  

What Happened in 2025

Poland ended the 2024 IIHF World Championship with just a single point that they picked up in an overtime loss to Latvia. Despite going winless, the tournament showed that Poland was a relentless group that was not going to go down easily. 

“When you say Poland and hockey, it doesn’t really go hand in hand all the time, but they’re a good hockey team” – Erik Karlsson after Sweden’s game versus Poland. 

For Poland, the goal in 2025 was clear from the start: Get back to the elite. The expectations were higher for the team now that they had proved they could win in Division 1 Group A. The promotion window remained open as Belarus and Russia remained suspended from the IIHF, meaning the quality of Division 1 Group A would not be at its highest. 

While the window would remain open from a competition standpoint, the national team also realized they had to start making a team transition. At last year’s World Championship, Poland was the oldest team, being the only team with an average age above 30. The Polish defense did not feature a player under 29 on the initial roster. The veterans were not going to hold up forever, and it is clear the seeds were planted during the 2025 season to get younger players on the national team. 

The first action of the year took place at the Tamas Sarkozy EIHC Memorial Tournament in Budapest, Hungary, from November 7 to 9. Only nine players who appeared at this tournament are on the Polish World Championship roster. That may be for the best, as Poland went 1-2 in the three-game tournament. They lost their opening game to Hungary 4-1. Game two was a 2-1 shootout victory over Slovenia’s B squad. The final game would be against the team they’ll face the most this year in Italy. In the first of many matchups, Italy took the first game 5-3. Notably, 16 players on Italy in this game are part of their World Championship camp.  

The national team would return to action in December for two matches against Ukraine in Sanok. We got more of the eventual World Championship squad in this one, with 11 members playing. These games would be split, with each country winning a game 2-1.

The results Poland was getting can be described as not great. But to find who would be part of the next generation, Poland had to battle-test many players. As the calendar finally turned to 2025, it seemed Poland had a better idea of who they wanted to take to Romania.  

In February, Poland hosted Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia for the Sosnowiec Cup. The second time this year, these four teams got together for a tournament. This event might have had the roster Poland planned to take to the Worlds. Unfortunately, due to injuries, that is not the case, but still, 19 members of the national team were in action. Poland swept their opponents at this tournament, winning 5-2 over Italy, 3-1 over Slovenia, and 3-1 in the final against Hungary. It was truly the biggest four-nation tournament win by any country in February… 

Hungary and Slovenia brought poor to average squads to this tournament. Poland’s future Division 1 Group A rival Italy, brought 18 members of their national team camp. The first real matchup of the two rosters vying for an elite division promotion in 2025. Poland came out on top 5-2 thanks to special teams play. That special teams play was a great sign after the white and red went 1 for 22 at last year’s World Championship. 

The Sosnowiec Cup victory would mark the end of Poland’s international season during the club year. We wouldn’t see the Polish national team play again until the beginning of April, for two matches against Lithuania in Katowice. This would be a light Polish squad. Many members of the team were recovering from their club season or still in the THL playoffs. Still, 13 members of the World Championship roster appeared. This was also Krzysztof Macias’ first appearances of the year after returning from Canada. 

Poland would win these games 2-1 and 2-0. The scores paint close matches, but Poland got a bit goalied in both games. In the first match, Laurynas Lubys made 47 saves on 49 shots. In game two, Lithuania’s two goalies stopped 37 out of 39. While Poland had the talent advantage, the higher danger chances were not as high as the shot totals might suggest. 

The next step on the road to the World Championship would be another two-game set with Ukraine in Krynica. Each country took a game in this series, 3-2 in overtime. This Ukraine program is growing and playing with a lot of pride. But still, you would want to see Poland pull away from them, but they’ve never been able to. It was another somewhat incomplete roster, as only 15 members of the World Championship team appeared. 

The final two-game set would be against Italy. Both squads would take almost their entire World Championship teams to these matches in Sosnowiec. Just like the last series, this one would be split. Italy took game one 3-2 in a self-described poor effort by the Polish national team. Poland would win the second game 3-1, thanks to a better performance.  Poland would go one for eight on the power play in this series. A reversal of the last time these two rosters met in February, where Poland won thanks to special teams play. If the Polish powerplay can’t find ways to score, then the odds are slim that Poland earns promotion.

Before heading to Romania, Poland would play their first away game of 2025. In Slovenia, they faced a team preparing to play in the top division. Days before they took on Poland, Slovenia beat Italy 4-2. Poland, on the other hand, dispatched their Elite Division host with a 2-1 victory. John Murray led the way with 33 saves. 

In total, Poland went 10-5 during their exhibition year. The new generation of Polish players performed well on defense. Only twice during the year did Poland allow more than 30 shots, but that was also during their two final games.  It felt like this team needed to find an offensive identity and their ability to finish. Of the six players to record seven or more points at the 2023 D1A tournament, Poland only returns two. The team was in a rough spot due to roster turnover, but line judging persisted throughout the entire lead-up on offense. 

The Roster

This is a brand-new Polish squad. Of the team that played at the World Championship last year, only 13 players return. Half of the roster is gone due to either the coach’s choice, injury, or retirement from the national team. Seven of the players on the roster are playing in their first-ever World Championship. Four more are making just their second appearance. Last year, Poland had six players who made 10 or more appearances at the World Championship; this year, it is just one, captain Krystian Dziubinski. 

After being the oldest team at last year’s World Championship, Poland’s average age fell by just over two years, going from 30.38 to 28.17. They remain on the shorter side of teams, but the height difference is not significant in D1A, with an average range of 5’10 “to 6’1” for the six countries. 

Coaching Staff 

The staff is similar to 2024. It’s a very young coaching staff , which only adds to the new generation. There are only two changes with the departures of Marek Batkiewicz (goaltending coach) and Ireneusz Jarosz (video coach). Kalaber and his staff won IIHF promotion in their first two World Championship opportunities. If he earns a third promotion in three chances, he will cement his place in Polish hockey history. Despite that success, some of the staff’s roster choices earned backlash from fans, especially due to the staff ‘s strained relationship with Aron Chmielewski.

Head Coach: Robert Kalaber – Slovakian Robert Kalaber returns to lead Poland for a fifth season. The 55-year-old had coached JKH GKS Jastrzębie for 11 seasons but is moving to Unia Oswiecim for the 2026 season. This will be Kalaber’s fourth World Championship leading Poland. 

Assistant Coach: Grzegorz Klich – Klich has been coaching various Polish national teams since 2013. The 45-year-old is the head coach of Naprzod Janow and also led Poland’s Universiade squad this year. This will be his third world championship, serving as an assistant. 

Assistant Coach: Tobiasz Bigos – One of the fastest-rising coaches from Poland, Bigos currently works in Finland as the head coach of Ilves U16 Akatemia. The former Polish U20 representative led the Poland U16 squad to great success in past years. The 39-year-old will make his senior IIHF coaching debut at this year’s Worlds. 

Goaltending Coach: Mateusz Skrabalak – At 31 years old, Skrabalak will be younger than both Poland’s top two goalies. The former Sanok and Polish U20 representative has been working as the goaltending coach for STS Sanok. He also runs a goaltending school in Poland. This will be his first World Championship as a coach for Poland. 

Video Coach: Sebastian Owczarek – Owczarek played in the THL for 10 years, mainly with Polonia Bytom. He is still with Bytom today, serving as an assistant coach. This will be his second season serving as a video coach for the national team. 

General Manager: Leszek Laszkiewicz – Polish hockey legend Laszkiewicz returns as general manager of the team. He and head coach Robert Kalaber have been an effective duo in both the THL and with the national team. After this tournament, Laszkiewicz will head to Sweden for the Elite Division World Championship, where he will be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame. This will be his fourth World Championship as Poland’s General Manager. 

Goalies

There is no surprise among the goalies. Poland is sticking with their top duo. The third goaltender spot sees a change as David Zabolotny does not return. While they’re unlikely to face the same pressure as they did last year, Poland will need their goalies to try and help steal them a game or two. This tournament should be competitive, and goaltending could be a massive difference-maker. It will be interesting to see how Poland handles the starting duties. I could see a scenario in which Fučík and Murray each start two games, with the better starting the fifth and final match. 

John Murray – The American import is a legend in Polish hockey. The 37 years old has played in Poland for 11 years. This past year, the Pennsylvanian posted a .923 SV% in 28 games during the regular season with GKS Katowice. He had an incredible playoff run, posting a .939 SV% mark, which helped the club secure a fourth straight finals appearance. In his 11 years in Poland, Murray has backed his teams to eight finals appearances, winning six championships. He is expected to be Poland’s primary starter at the tournament. This will be his sixth World Championship for Poland.

Tomáš Fučík – A Czech import, with a similar career story to Murray, Fučík is one of the best goalies in Poland. Last year, he was able to obtain his Polish citizenship at the last minute and represent Poland at the Worlds. He had a stellar match year versus Slovakia, stopping 33 out of 35 shots. The highlight of Fučík’s 2025 season was winning his first PHL Championship with GKS Tychy. On the international side, he came up big in two exhibitions against Italy. This will be his second World Championship for Poland. 

Maciej Miarka – A part of the new generation, Miarka developed from the Lodz system to become one of the best young goalies in Poland. He has yet to earn a starting role with JKH GKS Jastrzebie, but has done well in split starting or backup roles. He took on the duties as Poland’s starting goalie during the non-IIHF season, starting nine games and excelling. It was Miarka who was in the net during Poland’s promotion-clinching win in 2023. This will be his second World Championship for Poland. 

Defensemen 

The defense is the area with the most turnover. The age of the Polish defense was a big talking point at last year’s World Championship. The white and red only return four of the nine defenders from last year’s squad. In 2024, six of their defenseman were 34 years or older; now it’s just three. Half of the defense is making their World Championship debut, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The defense has never been Poland’s strength, but I think some of these new faces will be able to show some good things. 

Karol Bilas – One of the best defenseman to come out of Poland in a while, Bilas is a good two-way player. I believe he could play outside Poland in a league like Slovakia’s top level. At 22 years old, I think he would have made his national team debut even earlier if not for injuries. This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Olaf Bizacki – Bizacki showed a lot of potential during his junior days and was a leader with Poland U20. The 26-year-old has continued to develop and now has made his first IIHF roster. An undersized defenseman, he will be the second shortest player at the tournament, but is smart and a solid skater. He appeared in the top pairing a few times during the year.  This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Mateusz Bryk – One of the rocks this defense will rely on, Bryk is the second most experienced skater on Team Poland this year. A stalwart of the national team since 2012, Bryk has played in the THL for 17 years and won 5 titles. The 35-year-old brings a solid presence in his own zone. This will be his ninth World Championship for Poland. 

Bartosz Ciura – Ciura made Poland last year, but would miss the tournament after breaking his finger in the first game against Latvia. It was a devastating injury for the national team. A strong stay-at-home and physical defender, he is the lone member of this group to play professionally outside Poland in his career. He will be counted on a lot this year, and I would not be surprised for him to be among the leaders in ice time. This will be his seventh World Championship for Poland. 

Kamil Górny – Górny has been a longtime star of JKH GKS Jastrzebie. However, he has only recently become a regular on the national team, having played in four straight World Championships after only two during the first 14 years of his career. A veteran of 17 THL seasons, Gorny has mainly been on the bottom pairing in the past, but may take on a bigger role this year. This will be his sixth World Championship for Poland. 

Michał Naróg – Another member of the youth movement, Naróg has carved out a nice role with Zaglebie Sosnowiec. The 23-year-old posted a career high in points, which played a part in earning him plenty of national team chances. He has played all around the lineup this year. This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Jakub Wanacki – The tallest player on Team Poland is a stay-at-home defender who uses his size well to clog up lanes and take away shots. He does not contribute much offensively and hasn’t recorded a point in his World Championship career. This will be his sixth World Championship for Poland. 

Mateusz Zieliński – Zieliński will make his World Championship debut at the age of 27. The two-way defenseman has played for KH Torun for almost his entire professional career. I think he brings a lot of the traits that Poland needs in its defensive refresh and should be a key part of the squad this year. This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Forwards

I don’t think there were plans to make major shake-ups to the forward group coming into the year. Poland had a good mix of veterans and players in the prime of their careers. A lot of things changed quickly as Poland gained two imports while also seeing two-thirds of the potential top six suffer injuries. Bartosz Fraszko, Grzegorz Pasiut, Kamil Wałęga, and Patryk Wronka will all miss the tournament, all of whom made major impacts last year. The team also made the surprising decision to cut Damian Kapica and Mateusz Michalski, who had been long-time strong contributors to the forwards group. 

Poland only returns seven forwards from last year. This group is still trying to find out how they all gel together. If Poland can find its offensive identity, especially in the power play, the talent is here for this group to lead Poland. 

Krystian Dziubiński – He is the captain of team Poland and a hockey machine. A fantastic playmaker and leader, Dziubiński sets the tone for the team on and off the ice. Even at 36 years old, he showed that he isn’t slowing down yet, scoring six points in six games against top European clubs in the Champions Hockey League. He is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated players in European hockey for his career. This will be his fifteenth World Championship for Poland. 

Mateusz Goscinski – The first of many Tychy players in this lineup, Gościński showed a lot of potential as a young player, but had a rocky development at times at the professional level. He has continued to develop his all-around game and become a key bottom-six contributor for Tychy. He last represented Poland at the 2022 D1B World Championship. This will be his third World Championship for Poland. 

Bartłomiej Jeziorski – Jeziorski unfortunately missed out on representing Poland last year due to an injury. I think the power forward would have made a significant impact and impressed the hockey world. The 6’3 winger is one of the tallest players on Poland and a play driver on offense. At the 2023 D1A World Championship, he had five points in five games. This will be his fifth World Championship for Poland. 

Filip Komorski – Komorski has been one of the best goal scorers in Poland throughout his career. He has put up at least 13 goals every year of his professional career, except for one injured season. He just completed his second 20-plus goal season in a row for Tychy. At last year’s Worlds, he scored against Germany, but often had limited ice time. I expect him to have a bigger role this year as Poland needs to find some goals. This will be his fifth World Championship for Poland. 

Patryk Krężołek – Krężołek has been the top goal scorer in the THL for two consecutive years. He is a sniper who also knows how to be a solid net-front presence. His play can be a bit one-dimensional at times, and a lack of defensive play earned criticism from national team head coach Robert Kalaber. Krężołek has become a more complete player in 2026 and stepped up huge for the national team during the exhibition season. He has already signed in Czechia for the 2026 season. This will be his second World Championship for Poland. 

Alan Łyszczarczyk – A speedster who has an outstanding offensive IQ, Łyszczarczyk creates plenty of high-danger scoring chances. He had strong seasons in the Ontario Hockey League as a junior before turning professional with a couple of seasons in the ECHL and Czech Second League. In his return to Poland, Łyszczarczyk has posted 40 assists in back-to-back seasons. His play can sometimes be inconsistent, but make no mistake – he is dynamic when he’s on his game. He was tied for the lead on team Poalnd last year in points. This will be his sixth World Championship for Poland.

Krzysztof Maciaś – The new prince of Polish hockey, the 20-year-old is Poland’s best prospect in a while. He lit the Worlds on fire last year and scored Poland’s first top division goal in 22 years. His 2024 season earned him a spot at the Florida Panthers’ development camp. He is one of only two roster members to play abroad this year. The Nowy Targ native set a career high in points in the Western Hockey League. Poland will count on the young star to make a big jump and help carry the team. He is turning professional next year with HC Vítkovice in Czechia. This will be his second World Championship for Poland. 

Dominik Paś – I think Paś will be the heart and soul of the national team after Dziubinski hangs up his skates. He is a hard worker, has a high motor, and shows excellent awareness in all three zones. He can play everywhere in the lineup and do anything the team needs. Reportedly, last offseason, Paś tried to sign abroad but wasn’t able to find a solid offer. I think he would be a solid contributor to a mid-level European team. This will be his fourth World Championship for Poland. 

Kamil Sadlocha – Sadlocha was born in Poland but grew up in the States. During his junior career, he played a handful of games with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. After spending four years at Ohio State, he returned home to Poland and became a star for Unia Oswiecim. He has been approved to play for the Polish national team and scored four goals in seven matches. He has great fundamentals and dynamic offensive skills. Poland was already hoping for him to take on a significant role in his debut, and that hope has only expanded with the injuries. This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Mikolaj Sytyi – The Belarusian-born forward played in Russia for his junior hockey career before returning home to play professionally. But since 2022, his home has been with KH Torun. During his PHL career, he has 127 points in 176 games, improving his production each season. He is among the many Belarusians who have acquired Polish citizenship since the war in Ukraine started. I didn’t know how much Sytyi would contribute to the national team right away, but by the end of the year, he was the top scorer for the white and red with seven points. This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Damian Tyczyński – Tyczyński is a great playmaker. In 2025, he was one of the leading players in points in the THL . The rest of his game leaves something to be desired. He is not going to contribute much defensively and isn’t going into corners to win puck battles. Given Kalaber’s comments on players that don’t contribute at both ends, I’m a bit surprised he makes it. But the puck skills have shown up with 12 assists in 19 games for the national team over the last two seasons. This will be his first World Championship for Poland. 

Paweł Zygmunt – The lone Polish player to play professional hockey outside Poland this year, Zygmunt is a big and gritty forward. Injuries would derail most of his 2025 season, as he finished the year with four points in 31 games. Tied with his rookie year for the lowest point total of his Extraliga career. He performed better in the Czech Second League, scoring 5 points in 10 games on loan. While he plays in the lower formations abroad, he’ll be a top-line player in the white and read. This will be his fourth World Championship for Poland. 

Predictions 

Division 1 Group A is as tight of a tournament as ever. There is no safe game at this event. While Poland’s best window to win is right now, that doesn’t mean anything is going to come easy. Poland is familiar with each country of this group from years of playing them. When it comes to Italy and Ukraine, this will be the fifth time this year that they had played. Both the series against Italy and Ukraine are at 2-2. The top two spots earn promotion, can the white and red do it? 

April 27th – Poland vs. Romania: 4-2 Win 

Opposing Player To Watch: Radim Valchar (F)

In 2019, Romania upset Poland to advance to D1A for the first time in history. Then in 2023, Poland got their payback with a 6-2 win that clinched their promotion to the Elite Division. This is an improving Romania program. They’re led by long-time OHL and European head coach Dave MacQueen. They also have added plenty of imports in recent years and will bring six to this year’s tournament. I don’t think they have the depth or goaltending to compete with Poland this year. That is why I’m giving the white and red a 4-2 win over the host. 

April 28th – Poland vs. Japan: 3-1 Win 

Opposing Player To Watch: Yushiroh Hirano (F)

The last time these two countries met, Poland came out on top 2-0 and advanced to the D1A. That game was pretty even, and Poland knows very well how dangerous the top six of Japan can be. Japan will be hurting as Yuki Miura is still in the ECHL playoffs and will be unable to join the squad. Still, Japan has a lot of their offensive stars in Kohei Satoh (ECHL), Sota Isogai (Asia League), Teruto Nakajima (AlpsHL), Yu Sato (VHL), Yushiroh Hirano (DEL2). Japan may have the edge in top six forwards, but Poland has the edge in depth, defense, and goal. As long as Poland can avoid going to the penalty kill and keep Japan’s top lines in check, I see a second Polish win. 

April 30th – Poland vs. Italy: 4-3 OT Win 

Opposing Player To Watch: Alexander Ierullo (F)

These two teams have met four times this year. In the first match-up, Italy won 5-3, Poland won the second 5-2, Italy won the third 3-2, and then Poland won the fourth 3-1. These teams have been in a deadlock all year. For Italy, the frustrations must be mounting as the squad has tested import after import, failing to find the boost they need to get back to the Elite. The team has invested a lot in their upcoming Olympic games appearance, which includes hiring one of Europe’s best head coaches, Jukka Jalonen. A lack of chemistry and identity will see them fall to Poland in the fifth and final game of the year. When there is a sizable talent gap, Italy will win big, but when that talent gap is close, I don’t see Italy winning often. 

May 1 – Poland vs. Ukraine: 2-0 Win

Opposing Player To Watch: Igor Merezhko (D)

These two teams have also played each other four times this year, and the series is tied 2-2. Each of the games was decided in overtime, driving home how close the competition was. No matter the level or tournament overtime has always been the most common outcome for Poland vs. Ukraine for years now. This year, we haven’t seen a full-strength Polish roster versus Ukraine. Ukraine will be the youngest team in the tournament, especially on defense. I think with a minor talent gap and more experience Poland will be able to secure their fourth victory of the tournament. This is a game where if Poland struggles and gets off to a slow start, they could lose it early. Ukraine’s goaltending has been solid all year against Poland. But with this win, I am predicting Poland will clinch promotion. 

May 3 – Great Britain vs. Poland: 2-1 Win OT

Opposing Player To Watch: Liam Kirk (F)

Poland and Great Britain usually play a lot, but have not met this year for the first time in a while. These two last faced off in 2024 for two exhibition games that Great Britain won. The last IIHF game was at the 2023 D1A World Championship, where the Brits won a fantastic match 5-4 in overtime. Much like Poland, it had been a significant generation shift for the UK squad. Only 13 players return from the 2023 D1A squad. They’re also like Poland in having a team that mainly plays in their domestic league, with only two players in foreign leagues. Britain is not a one-player team by any means, but this game will come down to if Poland can shut down Liam Kirk. The British star plays in the top level of Germany and just finished a thirty plus goal season. Poland can match the talent of the rest of their squad. If Kirk comes up empty, I think Poland finds a second overtime win, sweeping their group. 

Result Division 1 Group A Gold and Promotion. 

I didn’t expect myself to predict a gold medal. Poland has had a lot of issues this year with injures especially to the top six. The big thing for me in this tournament is that I think Poland can win every game. They won’t be the heavy favorite or big underdog in any game. I could see Poland losing every single game. Every game is a toss up that I lean Poland on. It might seem cheap to say that after predicting gold. Everyone in this division is in a somewhat similar talent range and we don’t really know what this Polish roster looks like on the international stage.

I think this is a new generation of Polish players that excites and wants to establish themselves. I also believe the new imports will help level up the Polish forward group. Unfortunately, in the lower divisions the results of a five-game tournament can be the verdict on your staff, roster, and future. I think over the next week, Polish hockey will once again prove it belongs at the top.

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