International junior hockey can be a funny thing if you’re not a top hockey country. You earn gold and promotion, and your reward is moving up a division. It sounds great and feels like you’re making really good progress. But the likely outcome, with over 50% probability, is that the newly promoted team finishes last, gets blown out a few times, and is relegated just a year after escaping the lower division. 

Poland U18 is all too familiar with this yo-yoing of divisions. In the six U18 IIHF tournaments held from 2016 to 2023, Poland was promoted or relegated at four of the events. When Poland won gold and promotion once again in 2024, the expected result in 2025 was just fighting to stay up in Division 1 Group B (D1B). But the white and red did more than stay up in 2025; they pulled off the incredibly rare feat of winning back-to-back gold medals and promotions. For the first time in team history, Poland finds itself in Division 1 Group A (D1A). 

It was an incredible accomplishment even to reach this level, and the squad should be proud. But the other downside to junior hockey is that you often lose most of the players as they age out of the level. Poland U18 is feeling that hard as only three players (Leon Stryczek, Radoslaw Kot, and Wiktor Tanczyk) are eligible to return. The shake-up goes further, with an almost brand-new coaching staff. 

Grzegorz Rostkowski is the new head coach of the squad. The 36-year-old takes over after leading many different squads in Norway with the Lørenskog organization. Joining him are Łukasz Sokół (the lone returning coach), Wojciech Milan, and goaltending coach Stanislav Mojdis.

This new staff faces a huge challenge, as they will have to face teams fielding multiple NHL draft prospects, and many others who play in top junior leagues around the world. On top of the typical D1A rivals, this year includes an unexpectedly relegated Switzerland. Poland and Switzerland have rarely faced off at any level in modern IIHF history. It’s usually an exciting thing if Poland gets a player in the top level of Swiss junior hockey, now the white and red will have to face a team led by the best players in that league and more. So, who will be the players to watch as Poland looks to pull an upset and stay up? 

Gabriel Wsol

There is no player I have ever received more inquiries about. Wsol is attracting hype from outside Poland and is on his way to becoming an NHL draft pick in a few years. The 14-year-old absolutely dominated in Switzerland this year. Just look at these numbers. 

Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS
EHC Basel U16	Swiss U16-Elit	28	50	30	80
EHC Basel U18	U18-Top	21	39	25	64
SC Bern Future U18	U18-Elit	2	1	2	3

His 80 points led the Swiss U16-Elit league by nine points. He also led the Swiss U18-Top in points. He joins only Nico Hischier and Sven Baertschi in having a point per game average of 3.0 or more as a 14-year-old in the league. Both players went on to become Top 15 NHL draft picks. Wsol is a special player, and when he steps on the ice, Poland secures his IIHF rights for the foreseeable future. That alone will make this tournament a success, regardless of the results.

On the ice, Wsol is likely to play a top-six role for Poland. He has done so in exhibition games leading up to the event. There is a lot of room for his game to grow, especially defensively, but he is 14. He doesn’t need to be a superstar this year. But when he is out there, you see puck skills and the offensive confidence to make things happen. If Poland pulls off any upsets, I would bet Wsol was on the scoresheet. 

Amadeusz Tynski

Tynski looks like one of the best forwards of the 2009 class. He has been such a strong, consistent producer at non-IIHF events over the past couple of seasons. Wherever he went this year, he produced. He was a leader for SMS I Katowice, posting 23 points (10G-13A) in 17 1 Liga games. That production against much older players should serve him well at this event. 

Leon Stryczek

One of the few returning players, Stryczek is a very skilled and crafty winger. Last season, he led HC Vitkovice U17 in points. He moved up to U20 hockey and didn’t find the same success, only posting one assist in 23 games. It reminds me a bit of Wiktor Makula last season. While his production hasn’t been great in the club, he has been an impact player on the non-IIHF international stage. 

Wiktor Tanczyk

Tanczyk is just one of five players on this squad with experience in the THL. The 17-year-old defenseman made his debut this year with two matches against Sanok. In the lead-up to this year’s event, each defenseman has had some flashes, but Tanczyk has been the most consistent. The Polish defense is in for a brutal battle, and I believe Tanczyk is going to be up for the challenge. 

Borys Dawid & Radoslaw Kot

Combining these two to fit in a bonus player, but they really are both great players. They’re the two oldest players on the squad, just under the age requirement by 1 and 3 days, respectively. Broth split the season between SMS I Katowice and AM GieKSa Katowice U20 before receiving THL call-ups to Cracovia. Each also getting their first THL goal and assist in those call-ups. This duo is likely to each lead one of Poland’s top six lines, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the first. 

Kacper Skiba

Skiba is a really interesting defenseman. He brings a lot of good traits to the table, and his experience in the Slovak U20 league will be pretty valuable. In 44 games, he put up 13 points (2G-11A) and had 72 shots. His 13 points were tied for sixth among U18 defenseman in the league. Much like Tanczyk, he brings a high floor to the Polish defense. 

Predictions 

April 18th, 2026. Game 1: Poland vs. Switzerland

Player to watch: Jonah Neuenschwander (2027 Top NHL Draft Prospect)

Look, this game is likely to be rough. For Poland its a big deal to have a player in the U18-Elit. On the Swiss roster, they also only have one player in the U18-Elit. That is because the rest of their roster is in the U21-Elit or a better junior league. 

Prediction: 8-1 Switzerland Win

April 19th, 2026. Game 2: Kazakhstan vs. Poland

Player to watch: Yegor Kim

Poland really has a rough start, as Kazakhstan is, in my opinion, the second hardest game. But there is a gap between this game and Switzerland. Kazakhstan has a very young roster and limited experience. Only two players have previously represented the country. Poland could take advantage of that, even if only slightly older and more experienced.

Prediction: 6-2 Kazakhstan Win

April 21st, 2026. Game 3: Poland vs. Slovenia 

Player to watch: Luka Dolžan

Now we get to a game where Poland holds a larger fighting chance. This Slovenian team has some really good players up front, especially Svit Habjanič. But depth-wise, Poland can get close and match that. It is going to be hard to beat Rögle BK goalie Luka Dolžan in the net. I think the white and red can remain competitive, but I still don’t see a Polish victory. If they were to win, it would mean the depth is much better than what they have shown. 

Prediction: 3-1 Slovenia Win

April 23rd, 2026. Game 4: Ukraine vs. Poland. 

Player to watch: Sviatoslav Vasiak

This is the game of the tournament for Poland. These two faced off just days before the event. It was a 4-2 win for Ukraine, but Poland won the shot battle 34-31. The white and red also swapped goalies at the halfway mark, with half of Ukraine’s goals coming right after the switch. Ukraine is an interestingly built team. Due to the war, the team is spread all over. In the game against Poland, their players spent their junior season across Czechia (10), Germany (4), Canada (3), the USA (2), Austria (1), Slovakia (1), and Ukraine (1). That means they have a lot of players who have developed in strong leagues, but it could also contribute to a lack of chemistry. Poland took advantage of this last year against a similarly built Lithuania team. 

Prediction: Ukraine 3-2 Win 

April 24th, 2026. Game 5: Hungary vs. Poland

Player to watch: Domán Kristóf Szongoth (38th NHL Central Scouting EU Skaters)

Poland has faced numerous Hungarian squads this season. From club junior teams, the U17 squad, to the normal U18 squad. Poland has won a lot of those games, and the losses have been close. But they have not seen a full-strength squad yet. I think Poland is going to keep this one close as well, but I don’t know if they have enough to stop Hungary’s top lines. There is just going to be too much talent in the top nine that can outpace the Pole’s best. 

Prediction 4-3 Hungary Win 

Unfortunately, in my predictions, I have Poland at 0-5 and getting relegated. It sucks to write, but I think Poland is the underdog in each game. The advantages they had last year are gone, and the step up in talent level is massive. Every team here has multiple players appearing on NHL draft boards or already taking steps in top European leagues Polish players have not seen in over a decade. Now, would I be shocked if Poland won a game or two, no. Both Hungary and Ukraine are winnable. But relegation is the most likely result.

Poland has a young team, and many of these players will be able to return next year, with some of them the next two years. Polish hockey has a bright future, and the results at this tournament shouldn’t be seen as counter to that. There is still a lot of work to do, but making it here already means they’re on the right path.

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Thumbnail Photo via polskihokej.eu