After being upset by Spain to end last year’s tournament, Poland remained in Division 2 for the first time in over a decade. 2025 was a weird year for the national team, as they pushed 13th-ranked China to their limit in a shootout but then failed to earn promotion against a team ranked in the high 20s. The 2026 season showed Poland was on a mission to prove they’re a Division 1 program. 

While we usually go into a more in-depth, game-by-game breakdown, there is no real need for that here. From the second the puck dropped in this tournament, Poland proved they were well above everyone else. They finished the tournament with a perfect record, allowed only two goals, and outshot their opponents by +174. 

Game 1: Australia vs. Poland. Result 0-5 WIN. Shots – 27-51

Game 2: Poland vs. Iceland. Result 4-1 WIN. Shots – 49-10

Game 3: Poland vs. Chinese Taipei. Result 12-1 WIN. Shots – 65-18

Game 4: Slovenia vs. Poland. Result 0-2 WIN Shots – 5-69

The white and red slashed through opponents quickly to win gold and promotion back to Division 1 Group B.

The Engine of the National Team

Captain Karolina Późniewska remains the leader of the national team, picking up 13 points (8G-5A) at the tournament. This included an insane 8 point (3G-5A) performance against Chinese Taipei. Her 13 points led Poland and earned her Forward of the Tournament honors. She is a joy to watch on the ice; her puck skills and anticipation are off the charts. Późniewska remains a player who raises a program multiple levels alone. 

Only a single goal

Going into the tournament, I was curious about how Poland would deploy goalies. In the end, Nadia Ratajczyk played almost the entire tournament (Alicja Kobiela took over for the third in the blowout against Chinese Taipei). Ratajczyk delivered big time in the starting role, allowing just one goal all tournament. She finished with a .982 SV% and just a 0.27 GAA. Ratajczyk proved she is more than capable of being a true number one.

Sweet Revenge 

Games against Slovenia were always so frustrating. Poland would massively control the shot battle, but Slovenia’s goaltending just found a way to keep them alive. Slovenia was up to their same tricks this year as Ajda Jošt stopped 67 out of 69 shots against Poland. But on the other side, the white and red did not allow Slovenia a chance at anything. They held their top rival and tournament host to only five shots for the entire game. Poland just cycled around and around them for 60 minutes. Slovenia was still in this game, score-wise, late. In the final 40 minutes, they had two shots. Just complete control by Poland. 

Last Plane Out?

Poland might have won gold and promotion at the perfect time. The global climate and economic trends have made tournaments for the lower divisions extremely challenging. On the men’s side, both the Division 2 Group A and Division 4 tournaments were canceled. This led some officials from the involved countries to call for the IIHF to move to biannual events rather than yearly ones. At this tournament, DPR Korea had to withdraw due to unforeseen issues. The true reason remains up in the air, with disputes ongoing over whether they were granted visas. 

The women’s worlds are already moving to the end of the calendar year (late October to November) in 2027. This move was made to better align the club and international calendars. A new European Cup event will also be added to the international season.

But something that caught the eyes of quite a few people was that DPR Korea would not be relegated for missing the tournament. In fact, no team would be relegated from the group. The IIHF still says that Hong Kong has been promoted from Division 2 Group B. At the same time, Spain is still listed as being relegated from Division 1 Group B. That means next year, Division 2 Group A will have 7 teams instead of the max 6 for an IIHF tournament. People we have talked to think there may be some larger change coming to the system. Poland might have gotten back to Division 1 at the perfect time. 

What’s Next?

Speaking of getting back to Division 1, that is what is next for Poland. In 2027, they will play in Division 1 Group B. It was their home from 2017 to 2024. They took medals in 2019 (Bronze), 2022 (Silver), and 2023 (Silver). In the group, they will be joined by China (relegated from D1A), Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and South Korea. It will be a quick turnaround with the calendar change, so the national team will be back in World Championship action in just six months. 

Poland was a very young team this year, with only five players over 23. With an average age of 22, they were the second-youngest team in Group B. The future is bright for Polish hockey with three 2010s debuting at this event. I don’t know how much this young team will improve by November, but I believe Poland can stay in Division 1. 

Quick Thoughts 

• Coming into this year, Defenseman Dominika Korkuz had 4 points (1G-3A) in 40 World Championship games. She had 8 assists in 4 games at this tournament. 
• Every single skater on Team Poland registered at least a shot this tournament. I can’t remember the last time I saw that. 
• Star prospect Malgorzata Zakrzewska made her senior debut at 16 and recorded a goal and 2 assists. It was pretty successful overall; you definitely saw a young and inexperienced player at times. You also saw some great puck skills and a player who is like an inch away from becoming a scoring machine at the senior level. 
• Natalia Nosal had a nice tournament and is quickly becoming one of the best Poland has seen on the blueline. 
• Poland took only five penalties all tournament, half of the next-closest team’s total. They also killed off all five penalties and finished with a positive goal differential on the penalty kill thanks to Nosal’s shorthanded goal against Slovenia.

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Thumbnail Photo via polskihokej.eu