As Team Poland battles for the opportunity to return to the Elite, they’re facing off against a few familiar faces, with six players in Division 1 Group A that played in Poland in 2025. Across the IIHF World Championships, 23 players who played in Poland are representing their home country. Today I wanted to look to see where those who played in the Tauron Hokej Liga (THL) and Mlodzieżowa Hokej Liga (MHL) are playing on the international stage. 

Top Division 

Canada

• Columbus Blue Jackets’ star Adam Fantilli’s Italian heritage is evident from his last name, but his mom’s side of the family is from Poland. The former third overall pick will be playing in his second World Championship for Canada this year. 

Germany

• Wojciech Stachowiak was born in Gdansk and grew up in the Stoczniowiec Gdansk youth system. The ERC Ingolstadt forward even played for Poland U16 before heading to Germany. The 2025 tournament will be his third World Championship for Germany, he won silver in 2023. His father previously played in the lower levels of Poland.
• Maksymilian Szuber was born in Opole, Poland but moved to Germany at a very young age. The 22-year-old German defenseman was drafted by the Utah Mammoth, the then Arizona Coyotes, in the 6th round of the NHL draft. He is the most recent Poland born player to appear in the NHL, when he suited up for the Coyotes in 2023. This is his third World Championship for Germany and he was also part of the 2023 Silver team.

Hungary

• Bence Bálizs is the starting goalie for Hungary this year, and previously was the starter for JKH GKS Jastrzebie. Bálizs had a strong year for Jastrzebie in 2023 posting a save percentage above .920 in both the regular seasons and playoffs. He played this past season in Norway for Sparta Sarpsborg. The five time Hungarian goalie of the year is playing in his eighth World Championship event.

Slovenia

• Slovenia defenseman Miha Štebih found himself with Cracovia for the 2020 season. He would put up 7 points (3G-4A-7PTS) in 39 games. 2025 marks the sixth World Championship for the 33-year-old.  

USA

• Defenseman Zach Werenski has Polish heritage from his grandfather, who was born in Poland. The Blue Jackets’ star got to play the white and red last year and told media after the game that, “Polish hockey is in safe hands with those fans and those players.” After his 2025 season, which earned him a Norris nomination, Werenski joined team USA for his third World Championship. Earlier this year, he also represented USA at the Four Nations Face Off.

Division 1 Group A

Italy

• Defenseman Jason Seed spent three years in Poland from 2020 to 2022. The Canadian appeared with both GKS Tychy and Podhale Nowy Targ, recording 82 points (8G-64A-82PTS) in 151 games. Since his time in Poland, he has played in Italy and become one of many imports on the squad as they prepare for the Olympics.
• Jukka Jalonen is one of the best European coaches of the decade. He led Finland to Olympic gold in 2022. He is now on his newest challenge with Team Italy. His son, Jimi Jalonen, was a late-season pickup by GKS Katowice, playing in six games. 

Romania

• Finnish defenseman Konsta Mesikämmen played with GKS Tychy in 19 games to end the 2021 season. Since then, he has spent the last two years in Romania and acquired citizenship. 2025 is his first time representing Romania at the IIHF level. 

Ukraine

• Big Ukrainian forward Andrei Deniskin recently re-signed with KH Torun for a fourth year in Poland. He previously played two years with Unia Oswiecim and had a short five stint with Podhale Nowy Targ to start this year. Over his three PHL seasons, he has 52 goals and 78 assists in 141 games. He was fourth in points on Ukraine’s 2024 D1B gold medal team. 
• Filipp Pangelov-Yuldashev had spent parts of three seasons in Poland, including starting 2025 with Podhale Nowy Targ. The two-way defenseman first played in Poland with Unia Oswiecim in 2023. He has 47 points (11G-36A-47PTS) in 96 THL games. Pangelov-Yuldashev was also on the 2024 golden Ukraine team.
• Illia Korenchuk finished his third season in Poland with his third different team. The veteran forward started with Torun in 2023, before signing with Tychy for 2024, and most recently Zaglebie Sosnowiec. He has 93 points (40G-53A-93PTS) in 142 THL games. 
• Olexei Vorona recently re-signed with KH Torun for a third THL season. The 27-year-old forward made his first PHL appearance in 2023 with Podhale Nowy Targ, but returned to Poland with Torun in 2025. He has 59 career points (20G-39A-59PTS) in 81 THL games. 2025 is his fourth World Championship, and he was a part of Ukraine’s gold medal team in 2024. 

Division 1 Group B

Croatia

• Defenseman Ivan Puzić had a short run with Podhale Nowy Targ to end the 2020 season. He appeared in only eight games across the regular season and playoffs. 

Estonia 

• Conrad Mölder served as the starting goalie for KH Torun in 2022, one of many Estonians brought in by former Estonia national team head coach Jussi Tupamäki. He played in a total of 36 games in Poland. 
• Mark Viitanen has become a key forward for GKS Tychy and helped the club to a THL championship in 2025! This was his third season in Poland; he also played for STS Sanok and KH Torun. Across 140 THL games, the big right wing has 83 points (38G-45A-83PTS). 
• Robert Arrak has played in Poland for four seasons and already re-signed with KH Torun for a fifth. Arrak served as Torun’s captain last year, but has also played with Cracovia and Jastrzebie. He has 98 points (60G-38A-98PTS) in 176 THL games. 
• Vadim Vasjonkin would be a mid-season pick-up for KH Torun in 2021. He played 24 games, recording 11 points (4G-7A-11PTS). The big Estonian forward has spent most of his career in the United States. 
• Veteran goalie Villem-Henrik Koitmaa had a very short run in Poland. He appeared in two games with KH Torun in the 2020 season. At 34, he is playing in his 14th World Championship. 

Lithuania 

• Defenseman Kostas Gusevas was only the fourth Lithuanian player in Poland ever when he suited up for KH Torun in 2021. He put up 5 points (2G-3A-5PTS) in 41 games. 
• Forward Mark Kaleinikovas just wrapped up his third season in Poland. His biggest moment in the country was scoring the overtime goal that won the THL for Unia Oswiecim in the 2024 season. He has been a huge producer in the PHL with 113 points (54G-59A-113PTS) in 134 games with Oswiecim and JKH GKS Jastrzebie.

South Korea

• Sang Hoon Shin became the first ever South Korean player in the THL this year! The forward came over from the ECHL at the transfer deadline and signed with Zaglebie Sosnowiec. In his short time with the club, he had 6 points (2G-4A-6PTS) in 10 games. 

Division 2 Group A

Australia

• Forward Casey Kubara is a three-time Australian Ice Hockey League champion and holds Polish citizenship. He played junior and college hockey in the United States. His brother, Bayley Kubara, played for KS Naprzod Janow in 2022. 

Israel

• 24-year-old Yuval Halpert spent the first half of the 2024 season with LZHK Fabrykanci Lodzkie in the MHL. The young forward spent this past season in the Israeli hockey league. 

Netherlands

• Forward Bartek Bison was born in Amsterdam, but also holds Polish citizenship. The 6’4 left wing played junior hockey in the Canadian Western Hockey League, but has played with Dutch teams since 2020. 

Serbia

• Serbian national team forward Mirko Djumic has played in Poland for the last two seasons. The Assistant captain of Serbia spent this year with Zaglebie Sosnowiec after spending 2024 with KH Torun. Before coming to Poland the 26-year-old played in Hungary and Slovenia. 

United Arab Emirates 

• Robert Korchokha is one of many Russian and Eastern European players who have recently played in the Middle East and acquired new citizenship. The high-scoring forward was playing in the Armenian hockey league before joining KS Torun in the MHL. He would play a significant part in Torun getting promoted back to the THL. He would go on to play three more THL seasons, from 2019 to 2022, with KH Torun and Zaglebie Sosnowiec. 

Division 2 Group B

Bulgaria

• Forward Stefan Pirotski is only 19, but has made the Bulgarian senior team for 2025. He has played in various junior leagues around Europe in his young career. In 2024, he appeared in 25 games with LZHK Fabrykanci Lodzkie in the MHL.  

New Zealand

• Canadian Colin McIntosh has had a journeyman career that has taken him around the world. His career took him to Polonia Bytom in 2014 for an eight-game stint. Since 2017, he has played with the Skycity Stampede in New Zealand’s top league. He gained his Kiwi status in 2024 and will represent the national team for the second time in 2025. McIntosh also coaches women’s hockey in the country. 

Division 3 Group A

Kyrgyzstan

• Defenseman Timofei Shirokov holds both Kyrgyzstan and Polish citizenship. This year, the Sokoly Torun defenseman helped his birth country to a gold medal and promotion form Division 3 Group A. He had 3 points (1G-2A-3PTS) in five games. 2026 will be the first time Kyrgyzstan will play in Division 2. Shirokov also got in 23 THL games with KH Torun during the 2023 season. 

Division 4

Kuwait

• Kamil Vávra has had a long career both on and off the ice. The 40-year-old currently works as a junior coach in Italy and also represents Kuwait. He was born in Chlumec, Czechia, and even represented his home country at the U18 World Championship. He played in various low-level leagues around the world during his career, including the THL with GKS Katowice in 2007. The last stop in his playing career was in Kuwait, where, after four years, he was able to represent the country. At the Division Four tournament, he helped Kuwait to a bronze medal with 14 points (3G-11A-14PTS) in five games.  

IIHF Development Cup

Greece

• Filip Kurantowicz will be representing Greece at the IIHF Development Cup for the second time in his career. He holds Polish citizenship and grew up in Piastów, Poland. He currently plays for the Athens Centaurs in the Greek Ice Hockey Championship.

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Thumbnail Photo via polskihokej.eu