Every year there is usually the least amount of movement within the top five. This year was different though with two new players joining the top of the list and all but one player switching spots.

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.

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

5 – Bartosz Florczak (D), 23, STS Sanok (5, +0)

Florczak has slowly and steadily developed into one of Poland’s better defenseman. With financial struggles in Sanok, he has taken on a significant role, but it’s a deserved one. This year saw career offensive highs in his final U23 season, as he posted 14 points (6G-8A-14PTS) in 34 games. That put him fourth among all U23 skaters, and second among U23 defenseman. He was also a massive part of the national team this year, appearing in 12 non-IIHF games and picking up an assist. He unfortunately missed making his World Championship debut due to suffering a rib injury in the final practices before the squad left for Romania. 

He was never a liability with the puck, but he was mainly a defensive defenseman. This year he flashed a lot more offensive potential, especially with six goals. It will be interesting to see if this will be sustained as he makes the move to Unia Oswiecim. There he will be under national team head coach Robert Kalaber. Florczak is comfortable defending in his zone and can throw a good hit, even if physical play is not always a highlighted strength of his. I expect Florczak to be a member of the national team and in contention for the World Championship squad going forward. 

4 – Kacper Macias (D), 22, GKS Katowice (3, -1) 

The first of the Macias brothers to enter the rankings, Kacper is once again in the top five. The young defenseman had a great third season in the THL, putting up 12 points (2G-10A–12PTS) in 57 games. His 12 points were sixth among all U23 skaters, and third among U23 defenseman. He was also in contention to make his second world championship appearance for Poland, but was cut during training camp with an injury. 

A solid skater, he has become a smarter player, making the right decisions more quickly. While he is still primarily playing lower-line roles for GKS Katowice, he has adapted well to professional hockey over the past three seasons. Macias has also shown more offensive ability at the senior level than I expected him to have. His puck-handling skills have caught up with the rest of his game. When I look at the future of Poland’s defense, I think there is a core of U25 players who are going to be relied on as they enter their prime over the next five years. Macias is a part of that core with Bartosz Florczak, Karol Bilas, and Michal Narog. 

3 – Szymon Kiełbicki (F), 22, JKH GKS Jastrzebie (33, +30) 

Kiełbicki was the breakout player of 2024 and somehow had an even larger breakout performance in 2025. The JKH GKS Jastrzebie young star recorded 31 points (14G-17-31PTS) in 53 games. It led all U23 players in points by 14. It is one of only five seasons of a U23 player picking up 30 or more points since 2020. Three of the four other players have already made their debut with Poland at the World Championship level. Kiełbicki also made seven appearances with the Polish national team in the lead-up to the Worlds. He would exit the national team camp after taking a skate to the chin and requiring stitches. 

Kiełbicki is genuinely a tremendous and unprecedented story in Polish hockey. The former KTH Krynica pupil moved around Polish junior hockey playing for all of Krynica, Cracovia, Lodz, Cracovia again, and Polonia Bytom before finally signing a professional deal with JKH GKS Jastrzebie. During his time in junior hockey, he never made any appearances for Poland’s junior national teams. This makes him one of only five non-import skaters not to represent Poland at the junior level and then appear for the senior team at any event, IIHF or not. Forwards that don’t represent Poland at those junior levels don’t usually ever see much immediate success at the top level of Polish hockey. Kiełbicki is only one of two Polish players to not represent Poland at an IIHF junior event to record 30 THL points or more in a U23 season. All those stats to say Szymon Kiełbicki put in the work to get better fast. 

On the ice, he is a brilliant and tactical player. This is part of why he earned a spot on Jastrzebie’s powerplay. Kiełbicki is cerebral in the offensive zone and can also play with a bit of edge. I expect him to make his World Championship debut soon for Poland. 

2 – Karol Biłas (D), 23, STS Sanok (4, +2) 

Biłas jumps into our number two spot after he made his World Championship debut for Poland. After a strong first game against Romania, he seemed to fall out of favor with Kalaber, as his time decreased from 13 and a half minutes to just under five minutes. The Sanok assistant captain had a much better year outside the tournament. He stayed healthy all year and was able to put up career highs with seven goals and nine assists in 43 THL games. His 16 points led all U23 defenseman in scoring. It’s the best offensive performance by a U23 Polish defenseman since Oskar Jaskiewicz had 22 points during the 2019 season. He was also a key player for Poland during non-IIHF matches, adding two more goals and two more assists in 15 games in the white and red. 

Biłas is a talented two-way player. Injuries had delayed his development slightly, but this year he showed that he can be a top player in Poland. I was hoping the World Championship would potentially be a chance for him to earn some attention from outside the country. The limited ice time prevented that, and I think he could have been deployed a lot better by Poland. For 2026, he is making the move to Zaglebie Sosnowiec. I am excited to see what he can produce on a much more competitive team.

Player Ranked #1

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