We are now on to the top half of the rankings. This group of players features a lot of names already familiar to THL fans. In fact only one player in our next fifteen has yet to play in the THL. Most of the group already have multiple seasons under their belt.

Players had to be under the age of 23 and at least 16 years old on June 1st, 2025. 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 other players contributed their thoughts. 183 players were considered for the list and reviewed. Fifty players received a ranking. Full explainer on the 2025 rankings.

Players #50-26

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2024, change in rankings). NR – Not Ranked in 2024

25 – Szymon Kucharski (F), 21, GKS Tychy (25, +0)

Kucharski took another step towards being a top-level player this year. He set a career high in THL games and points. In his sophomore THL season, he had 9 points (5G-4A-9PTS) in 22 games. His .41 point per game average was fourth among U23 skaters. All nine of those points came against Podhale or Sanok, but it’s still a notable step forward after he was pointless in 2024. When he had the chance for more ice time, he took advantage offensively. Kucharski has re-upped with Tychy for 2026. He needs to take another leap to earn more playing time, something hard to do on Tychy.  Until then, it will be hard to project him as a possible national team forward. 

24 – Kacper Niemczyk (D), 19, STS Sanok (44, +20) 

Niemczyk takes a significant jump after becoming a full-time player for Sanok. With four points (1G-3A-4PTS) in 44 games, he was third among U20 defensemen in points. I was a little shocked that he didn’t make Poland’s defense for the U20s. A persistent and hard-fighting defenseman, he has played the third-most games by a U19 defenseman since the 2000 THL season. While he is playing with Sanok more due to the club’s budget, there is a decent player there. Poland U20 returns six defensemen for next year. I expect Niemczyk to still win a spot on the squad. 

23 – Maksymilian Dawid (F), 20, GKS Katowice (36, +13) 

Dawid was expected to be one of the stars of Poland U20 this year, and he delivered. Part of the top line with the Hofman twins, he put up five points (2G-3A-5PTS) in five games on 12 shots. He was one of the few players to excel offensively in each match. Dawid also got his first taste of professional hockey in 2025 with 23 games for GKS Katowice. He had three points (1G-2A-3PTS), finishing tied for sixth among U20 players. With good size, skating, and hands, he can likely develop into a solid THL player with time. 

22 – Piotr Ciepielewski (F), 21, Zaglebie Sosnowiec (35, +13) 

Ciepielewski is a talented forward, but has just always needed to find a bit more consistency in his game to take it up a level. He made a move to Sosnowiec for 2025 after spending his early Polish career with Katowice and Janów. With his new club, he found some new success, becoming a lineup regular and recording three goals and three assists in 36 games. His most significant moment was a goal against his old club to open an October game. He impressed the new coach to earn a contract for 2026, and while Sosnowiec loaded up with a strong lineup, I think Ciepielewski can fight for more time. 

21 – Jonasz Hofman (F), 20, GKS Katowice (23, +2) 

The first of the Hofman twins enters the rankings. Jonasz took his first step into professional hockey. He played on a top prospects line for GKS Katowice with his brother, Jakub, and Maksymilian Dawid. It was a great debut year as he posted 5 points (2G-3A-5PTS) in 38 games. This was tied for third among players in U20 scoring. His best moments came with Poland U20, where he scored three goals and assisted on three to finish tied second on the white and red. Some defensive things will need to be cleaned up, but as long as he continues to get THL experience, I think he could have a pretty high ceiling in Poland.  

20 – Jakub Hofman (F), 20, GKS Katowice (22, +2) 

Jakub once again is the higher-ranked of the Hofman twins. Just like his brother, he had his THL rookie year in 2025. It was one of the top debuts of the year, as he was tied for the lead in U20 scoring with 6 points (3G-3A-6PTS) in 33 games. He also led Poland U20, scoring 7 points (3G-4A-7PTS) during the D1B tournament. He has a similar report to his brother with lots of good offensive skills while defensive work needs to be cleaned up. It would also be beneficial to add more weight. He and his brother both signed two-year deals with Katowice this offseason. If they stick in the THL, I expect them to break into the top six eventually. 

19 – Jakub Musioł (F), 21, STS Sanok (21, +2) 

Musioł made the move to Sanok this year, due to Katowice having a packed forward group. The move to Sanok would give him a chance to get more ice time. It took some time, but he started to grow with the senior experience. He finished the year with five goals and an assist in 30 games. Unfortunately, his season ended in January after suffering a shoulder injury against Team USA at the FISU World University Winter Games. He did score in that game against Team USA before leaving. I’m excited to see what he can do with Polonia Bytom under Gusov next year. Hopefully, he can pick up where he left off, which saw five points in his final nine games. 

18 – Tymoteusz Petrazycki (F), 18, MOSM Tychy (46, +28) 

Petrazycki shoots up into the top 20 after being a key part of both Poland U18 and U20. At the U18 level, he was crucial to Poland’s hot start. He finished the tournament with two goals and two assists. The 17-year-old was also named to the U20 squad, where he added another two goals on seven shots. With good size and a strong ability to drive to the net, he is a top Polish U18 prospect. He needs to refine his game away from the puck, but I think he is a player who could excel in a strong junior league outside of Poland. That was highlighted by his 20 goals and 20 assists in 27 MHL games. 

17 – Jakub Onak (D), 19, JKH GKS Jastrzebie II (24, +7)

Onak moves into the top 20 with another strong year in the JKH GKS Jastrzebie organization. He took a few more steps into senior hockey with 13 THL games, but played a majority of his year in the MHL. There, he put up 15 points (1G-14A-15PTS) in 21 games. He also made his second appearance for Poland U20, and remains eligible for next season. Onak has many good traits, but they’re not yet at a professional level. Still, he could be an excellent two-way defenseman for the national team in the future. Always commended by coaches in Poland for his work effort, he needs more experience. I have a lot of faith in him to reach his potential. 

16 – Patryk Hanzel (D), 19, JKH GKS Jastrzebie (43, +27) 

Hanzel is another defender to take a significant jump after sticking at the professional level. In his THL rookie year for JKH GKS Jastrzebie, he played in 42 games, assisting on one goal. He was also named to his first U20 squad for Poland, and was a bright spot on a team lacking them. He showcased his offensive abilities more effectively there, scoring one goal and providing two assists on six shots. While I’m not a believer in plus-minus, he was one of two Polish players to finish with a positive rating and the only one with a +2 or higher mark. I like Hanzel and hope to see him continue to grow with Jastrzebie. He is a player who has national team potential. 

15 – Karol Sobecki (D), 20, GKS Tychy (19, +4) 

Sobecki concludes his U20 career as a rare player to have played THL games for four consecutive years with a top club like Tychy. 2025 was his best yet, after putting up career highs in games and points. In 25 games, he had five points (1G-4A-5PTS). While a majority did come against Podhale, it was still a good step. He made his second appearance for Poland U20 as well, finishing with 10 shots at the tournament. While he had a rough match versus Japan, he had a fine tournament overall. His production at the MHL was also at its highest rate with 9 points (5G-4A-9PTS) in just 14 games. Sobecki is slowly coming along, but it will be hard to earn a larger spot on a stacked Tychy roster. I still hope Sobecki can reach another gear at the top level, like he showed in the MHL playoffs. 

14 – Oliwier Kurnicki (D), 21, KH Torun (12, -2) 

With good size and offensive potential from the blueline, Kurnicki is a player I was hoping to see take a much larger jump given Poland’s situation at defense. His play was more calm and collected this year, making fewer poor choices against Poland’s best teams. He did get passed on the depth chart for a few chances to get on the ice. Despite playing fewer games overall in 2025, he did set a new career high with four assists. He will get a fresh start with new coach Leif Strömberg, and I hope it puts him on the path to becoming a national team defenseman. The former Gdansk pupil has played in eight non-IIHF games with Poland over the last two years, three in 2025. 

13 – Blazej Chodor (D), 19, GKS Katowice (18, +5) 

Chodor was shaping up to have a breakout season but would suffer a season-ending injury early in December. This would cause him to miss the U20 World Championships, where he was expected to be a key player for Poland. He seemed to be gaining more confidence with the speed and physicality of senior hockey. Chodor would even jump into the second pairing of Katowice for a few games before his injury. A player with good traits and size who needs a little more work to become a lock to be a top-four defenseman in Poland. I think if he can bring the offensive skills he showed at lower levels to the top, his ceiling could be even higher. 

12 – Kacper Prokopiak (D), 19, Unia Oswiecim (26, +14)

One of the most interesting prospects in Poland. Prokopiak has all the tools, and comes in at 6’5. The defenseman has one of the highest ceilings in Poland, but is still very raw. This year, he played in 31 THL games, picking up six points (1G-5A-6PTS). His six points were tied for the most by any U20 player in Poland’s top league. He is still earning a larger role in Oswiecim, as evidenced by his total ice time of three minutes and sixteen seconds in the Champions Hockey League. The Warszawa native made his first appearance for Poland U20 in 2025. He added two assists on eight shots and got better as the tournament went on. Huge bang or bust prospect for Poland, but I would think there is a strong chance he’ll take a big jump in 2026. 

11 – Krzysztof Bukowski (F), 23, STS Sanok (7, -4)

In his final year on the ranking, Bukowski falls out of the top ten. He is no doubt a talented offensive player. He was second on Sanok with 17 points (6G-11A-17PTS) in 42 games. It was the second most by any U23 player at the top level. Why the drop then? Eight points came against Podhale, which slightly discounts the production. His offensive game has improved, but he hasn’t become a complete player yet. As the national team went through a refresh, Bukowski wasn’t one of the players considered. I think he is going to be a good THL player at a minimum, but I don’t know if he will be an impact player for the national team.

Players Ranked 10-6

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Thumbnail Photo via unia-oswiecim.pl