There is just something refreshing about this year. Usually, we come into this preview with some big insight into the drama and mess of Polish hockey. If you thrived off the negativity, I’m sorry to let you know there isn’t anything major this year. Instead, both the federation and Poland got a needed refresh. There are positive developments behind the scenes, and the roster includes both exciting new talent and some returning faces. Plus, Sosnowiec is about to be packed, and Poland will get to fight in front of a loud home crowd. How did we get here? 

What Happen In 2025

After being relegated from the top tier in 2024, Poland returned to Division 1 Group A (D1A). Despite the relegation, spirits were high. Poland was one of the group favorites, and there was a clear path to return. 

But nothing went smoothly at all during the season as the national team’s financial dysfunction came to light, and the locker room slowly fell apart. Come late April, the white and red headed to Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania, with an almost unrecognizable roster. Only 13 players returned from the 2024 squad that had just played in the Elite. Seven players were making their national team debuts, while another 4 were making only their second appearance. It was billed as a new era for Poland, but was it? 

It seemed to click with the first two games, as Poland beat Japan and Romania. After the first two days, Poland was the only team that was 100% perfect in points. That start was the best it got. 

In game 3, Poland got slammed 4-1 by Italy and followed it up with a second 4-1 loss to Ukraine. After being alone at the top of the table for 2 days, they were eliminated from promotion contention in just another 2 days. Poland ended the tournament with a lifeless performance, getting shut out 3-0 by Great Britain. 

What happen? Right after the tournament ended, everything erupted. Accusations went flying that head coach Róbert Kaláber had lost the locker room. There were rumors that injured players simply didn’t want to play for Kaláber, so they skipped the tournament. This was on the heels of the already public toxic relationship between Kaláber and Polish star Aron Chmielewski, who had just missed another tournament. A few former players and fans accused some of the team of going out and celebrating early after game 2 (which all current players I spoke with denied). Regardless of what happened, Poland was stuck in Division 1 Group A with much better opponents coming in 2026. 

The Offseason 

It was a rough start to the offseason for the national team. Team leaders Krystian Dziubiński and John Murray would both announce their retirements. Two legends of the national team, who aged like wine and were still major contributors just months ago at the 2025 D1A Worlds, were now gone. An already pretty depleted national team had now lost two of its rocks. But things were going to get better. 

After a disappointing 2025, it was clear change was needed. Luckily, it just happened to land in an election year in the Polish federation. There was going to be a new president no matter what, as Mirosław Minkina was term-limited and unable to successfully lobby for additional terms. The true question was whether it would be Minkina’s hand-picked successor, Tomasz Jaworski, or Tychy executive Krzysztof Woźniak. 

The winds of change hit hard, as Krzysztof Woźniak won the election easily. This marked the return of hockey legend Mariusz Czerkawski to the federation, as he joined the board alongside Agata Michalska, Danuta Piorun, Karol Pawlik, Marcin Jurzysta, and Marta Zawadzka. 

One of the first acts of business was selecting a new national team leader. The election took place in late September, leaving Poland barely any time to find a new head coach before its first international action of the year in early November. Luckily, the new president and staff seemed to have someone ready to go. 

On October 3rd, Pekka Tirkkonen was named the new head coach of the white and red. The 57-year-old Finnish coach had been working with GKS Tychy since the 2024 season. A second-round pick of the Boston Bruins in 1986, he had a strong career in Europe. Tirkkonen represented Finland at multiple World Championships and played across Europe, but mainly in the Liiga and Denmark. After retiring, he went straight into coaching and has now spent 18 years as a head coach, mainly in the Mestis and Liiga, as well as in the top leagues of Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.

While his proximity to Polish hockey, relationship with staff, and resume all made him an easy fit, there is another reason. He is a coach who can right the ship.

When he first entered the coaching rankings, he took over SaPKo midseason in the Mestis and helped save the club from relegation. Just two years later, he had them in the playoffs and took home Mestis coach of the year honors. In 2013, he moved up to the Liiga with Saipai. In his four years with the club, he would lead them to four playoff appearances. Before his arrival, the club had only made the playoffs once in the 2000s. His time with EHC Kloten also coincided with the team’s relegation battle, and he won a Swiss Cup with them. Even this year with Tychy, they started rough and were seventh in the league at one point. One former Tychy coach even remarked, “If I had them in seventh place, I would be fired.” Tirkkonen would right the ship, and the team went 12-1 in the playoffs en route to their second straight championship. 

Leading Poland would be his first international coaching experience. How has it gone?

The 2026 Season 

The IIHF made a change to the European hockey calendar for 2026. A new competition, the European Cup of Nations, emerged, and its exact purpose and standings remain somewhat of a mystery. Poland participated in three tournaments during the year, which started on home ice. 

The Sosnowiec Cup

Nov. 6th, 2025 – Poland vs. Italy: 4-2 WIN

Nov. 7th, 2025 – Poland vs. Slovenia: 2-3 OVERTIME LOSS

Nov. 8th, 2025 – Poland vs. Great Britain: 1-0 WIN

Kicking off the year with the Sosnowiec Cup, Poland faced off with their fellow Elite and D1A twenner teams. On home ice, the white and red controlled the tournament. They scored 4 goals in the first 28 minutes before parking the bus to end it against Italy. Even in their overtime loss, they outshot Slovenia 37-22. The final game was pretty slow, but Poland barely allowed the British squad any dangerous chances. The standings shook out that Poland won their second straight Sosnowiec Cup. Against decent rosters for Italy and Slovenia, this tournament was a great showing for a refreshed Polish squad and their new head coach. 

Sarkozy Tamas Memorial

Dec. 12th, 2025 – Poland vs. France: 3-2 SHOOTOUT WIN 

Dec. 13th, 2025 – Poland vs. Italy: 4-2 WIN

Dec. 14th, 2025 – Poland vs. Hungary: 5-2 WIN 

Poland would be back in action just a month later. This time, they didn’t drop any games and swept their competition en route to their second straight tournament win. The France win was huge. It has to be noted that it was nowhere near the level of the team France took to the 2026 Olympics. But in a spoiler for later, there is the same number of players from that December French squad competing at the D1A Worlds as there are from the 2026 Olympic squad. 

A team that brought most of their Olympic roster was Italy. This game was rough for them and felt like revenge for Poland. It honestly made me worry for Italy at the Olympics. Poland finished off the tournament with a nice win over rival Hungary. It was another great event for the white and red. They were still testing plenty of players, but also still had not lost in regulation once since Tirkkonen took over. It felt like every position group was thriving at the right time. 

European Cup Of Nations #3

Feb. 5th, 2026 – Poland vs. Slovenia: 4-3 LOSS

Feb. 6th, 2026 – Poland vs. Ukraine: 4-2 LOSS

Feb. 7th, 2026 – Poland vs. Great Britain: 5-4 LOSS 

Poland got a wake-up in February. After not a single regulation loss all year, they lost three in a row. With a pretty full roster, they couldn’t get anything going. The defense struggled to slow down any counterattack, while the three-headed dragon in the net disappeared for Poland. But it was still just 3 losses to similarly level opponents by a margin of 4 goals. The tournament seemed not to sit right with Tirkkonen, who remarked, “We have a lot to improve before the World Cup in Sosnowiec in May, including our defensive play, our penalty kill, and power play.” 

The Road to the D1A Worlds

In the lead-up to the D1A Worlds, Poland set up quite the gauntlet to get ready. They would play seven matches in total during April, facing D1A foes and teams from the Elite. 

Apr. 10th, 2026 – Poland vs. Lithuania: 3-1 WIN 

Apr. 11th, 2026 – Poland vs. Lithuania: 3-0 WIN

The road to the worlds started with D1A newcomer, Lithuania. In the two-game set, Poland had a pretty incomplete team, as the THL finals had just concluded the night before game one. Even head coach Pekka Tirkkonen was not available. In their two games against a younger opponent, Poland got what it needed done and picked up two clean victories. 

April 16th, 2026 – Poland vs. Hungary: 4-0 WIN 

April 17th, 2026 – Poland vs. Hungary: 3-2 OVERTIME LOSS 

Poland next traveled to Hungary for a pair of matches against their longtime rival. Despite hosting the games, Hungary was far from full strength, fielding only a handful of players from its 2025 World Championship team. In game one, Poland controlled the match for almost the entire duration with an impressive performance. Game two saw Hungary come out with more energy; it was a more even game, and Poland eventually took control. They would lose control very quickly as emotions got the best of the team. With a couple of late penalties, Hungary took advantage, scoring on the power play with just seconds left in the game and then winning it just seconds into overtime. Poland has to keep their emotions in check or at least not be the only ones caught by the officials. 

April 24th, 2026 – Poland vs. Slovenia: 3-2 LOSS 

April 25th, 2026 – Poland vs. Slovenia: 5-2 WIN 

The final two-game set for Poland was against an Elite Division foe, Slovenia. They faced a pretty complete squad, as only two players lacked World Championship experience. Slovenia is playing at the top level in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2005 and 2006. They beat France to keep their spot in 2025.

 In the first match, Poland got off to a strong start, but as the game neared the end, they struggled to finish. Late goals have felt like a rarity for most of the year. Slovenia could find offense in the third and beat Poland 3-2. 

The second game was the best game Poland has played all April. From puck drop to final whistle, Poland maintained control and capitalized on their chances, focusing more on quality than quantity. It was the kind of performance that makes you believe Poland can win it all. 

April 29th, 2026 – Poland vs. France: 3-2 Shootout WIN 

Poland closed the warm-up period with their strongest opponent yet, France. A fight with two teams experiencing momentum in two different directions. This game was just weird. Poland had two shorthanded goals. A scoreless third period and overtime led to a shootout that would not end. Finally, in round 14, Kamil Wałęga was the hero, scoring the winning goal. This means Poland has now beaten France twice this year. 

In total, this year, the national team finished 7-4-2-2 in their non-IIHF games. A pretty solid record given the opponents and the fact that Poland was almost never at full strength. It’s the kind of season that may not inspire golden dreams, but proves they could do it. 

The Roster 

It is a refreshed team in Poland this year. There are plenty of faces wearing the white and red for the first time in years, while some very exciting talent is wearing the colors for the first time ever at the Worlds. I think the team’s strength will be on offense. I don’t see Poland having any major issues defending, but it will be on the refreshed offense to score more than 8 goals this year. 

To note, there are currently 25 players listed on the roster. Only 23 players will be activated for the World Championship. Poland is coming in with the most veteran team at an average age of 28.36. They’re also going to be one of the smaller teams, with the second smallest average height at 183.60 cm. 

The Coaching Staff 

Despite the new coach, there is little change among the rest of the staff. Tirkkonen will retain all four of the assistant coaches from the 2025 staff. There is a change in the General Manager spot as Leszek Laszkiewicz departs. 

Head Coach: Pekka Tirkkonen – Tirkkonen will make his IIHF coaching debut with Poland. He is no stranger to international hockey, having represented Finland at multiple World Championships and winning both U18 and U20 gold. Tirkkonen has spent 18 years as a head coach, winning Mestis coach of the year in 2012, Liiga coach of the year in 2014, a Swiss Cup in 2017, and now back-to-back THL Championships with GKS Tychy. This will be his first World Championship for Poland.

Assistant Coach: Grzegorz Klich – Klich has been coaching various Polish national teams since 2013. The 46-year-old is the head coach of Naprzod Janow in the 1 Liga. This will be his fourth World Championship for Poland. 

Assistant Coach: Tobiasz Bigos – One of the fastest-rising coaches from Poland, Bigos worked this past season in Finland as the head coach of Ilves U18. He formerly led Poland’s U16 squad, helping lay the groundwork for back-to-back U18 gold medals. The 40-year-old represented Poland U20 during his playing career. This will be his second World Championship for Poland.

Goaltending Coach: Mateusz Skrabalak – At 31 years old, Skrabalak will be younger than Poland’s starting goalie. The former Polish U20 representative has previously worked as a goaltending coach for STS Sanok. He also runs a goaltending school in Poland. This will be his second World Championship for Poland. 

Video Coach: Sebastian Owczarek – Owczarek played in the THL for 10 years, mainly with Polonia Bytom. He is still with Bytom today, serving as an assistant coach. This will be his third season serving as a video coach for the national team. 

General Manager: Jaroslaw Rzeszutko – With all the change happening, Polish hockey icon and IIHF hall of fame member Leszek Laszkiewicz saw it as his time to step away. Another pretty good Polish player is stepping up as Jaroslaw Rzeszutko takes over the General Manager role. The 39-year-old has served as the director of hockey operations for GKS Tychy for the last two years. As a player, he was a 4-time THL champion and represented Poland at 3 World Championships. This will be his fourth World Championship for Poland, first as a staff member.

Goalies 

Goaltending was a question all year after John Murray’s retirement. Would Tomáš Fučík dominate the number one role? Would a younger player be able to challenge him for time? In the end, Poland quickly seemed to settle on their top three goalies. When it comes to the Worlds, I would be shocked to see anyone but Tomáš Fučík for the first games. I think Poland comes into the tournament middle of the pack for goalies. 

Tomáš Fučík – Fučík arrived in Poland in 2017 after spending the early part of his pro career with multiple clubs in his home country, Czechia. Since then, he has played in Poland for all but a couple of years. He met his wife here, and it has become his new home. Since his arrival, he has been one of the best goalies in the THL. This year, he was a little inconsistent with Tychy. Latvian national team goalie Ēriks Vītols was brought in for competition. It also seemed like Vītols won that battle. Vītols took over for Tychy’s first-round playoff series. Fučík got another chance to start and never looked back, posting a .953 SV% with 4 shutouts en route to a second straight championship. If Poland is going to win promotion its going to need that playoff Fučík against France and Kazakhstan. This will be his third World Championship for Poland.

Maciej Miarka – Miarka is the youngest goalie of this year’s trio at 25. One of the few young goalies in Poland to get more than 10 games a year, Miarka has always been good when called upon for national team action. He made the move to Zaglebie Sosnowiec this offseason and appeared in 15 games, posting a .924SV% in the regular season. This will be his third World Championship for Poland.

Michał Kieler – At 30 years old, Kieler will be making his first World Championship roster. It has been quite the journey for him, as he has started on some pretty rough THL teams while serving as the backup on a few of the best teams. He has always had flashes of how good he can be. This year, it was a 42-save performance against the Danish finalists Herning Blue Fox during the Continental Cup. This will be his first World Championship for Poland.

Defenseman

The only group where I feel Poland is missing a major player. Olaf Bizacki is out after being the breakout star of Poland last year. Defense is Poland’s current weak spot due to a lack of depth. The return of Bartłomiej Pociecha couldn’t have come at a better time. Still, Poland is relying heavily on their veterans this year, with only 3 defenseman under the age of 33. 

Karol Biłas – Biłas is one of the best young defensemen in Poland. He is a player they’re going to need to take a major step up over the next few seasons. A talented two-way defenseman who needs to find more consistency, Biłas is likely to play a lower-pair role. This will be his second World Championship for Poland.

Mateusz Bryk – One of the rocks this defense will rely on. A stalwart of the national team since 2012, Bryk has played in the THL for 18 years and won 6 titles. The 35-year-old brings a solid presence in his own zone. One of the last leaders from the previous generation, he is the only player on this team with double-digit World Championship appearances. This will be his tenth World Championship for Poland.

Bartosz Ciura – Ciura is a strong stay-at-home and physical defender. He is the only member of this group to have played professionally outside Poland during his career. He will be counted on a lot this year, and I would not be surprised for him to be among the leaders in ice time. He is going to be the tone setter on defense. This will be his eighth World Championship for Poland.

Kamil Górny – Górny is a longtime veteran of the THL, with next year being his 19th season. However, the 36-year-old has only recently become a regular of the national team. He has played in five straight World Championships after playing in only two during the first 14 years of his career. Górny has become a key leader for Team Poland and served as captain during the 2026 season. He is known for his defensive work, but he can also excel in the transition game. This will be his seventh World Championship for Poland.

Patryk Hanzel – Hanzel got the call-up after Bizacki’s injury. With a short time to impress the staff, he made the most of it and secured his spot. At 20 years old, he will be Poland’s youngest player. He was the captain of Poland U20 this year and picked up a career-high 5 points in 38 THL games. This will be his first World Championship for Poland.

Michał Naróg – Naróg is one of the few new players from last year to both return and make an impact. He had a huge year in the THL. Coming into this season, he had 38 career points across 200 games. In 2026, he had 32 points (6G-26A) in 48 games. He has taken a huge jump and is now expected to play a top 4 role in the Polish defense. This will be his second World Championship for Poland.

Bartłomiej Pociecha – For years, Poland has lacked a pure offensive defenseman who can lead a power play. They always had one; he just wasn’t playing for the team. At 34, Pociecha returns to the national team for the first time since 2018. Since then, he has been a star for Tychy and has the most THL points by any defenseman since 2020. There are no signs of slowing down, as in 2026, he led all THL defensemen in goals, assists, and points. This will be his sixth World Championship for Poland. 

Jakub Wanacki – The tallest player on Team Poland is a stay-at-home defender who uses his size well to clog up lanes and take away shots. He does not contribute much offensively and hasn’t recorded a point in his World Championship career. This will be his seventh World Championship for Poland.

Forwards 

The forward group is the hardest area to narrow down. It is the strength of the team. I think Poland does have three lines that can put up points. It also gives me hope that we will finally see some improvement on the power play, which has been the team’s biggest downfall the last two years. That doesn’t mean it’s going to come easily, as Poland is likely to face goalies who start in the top leagues in Finland, Russia, and Switzerland. Poland only had 8 goals last year, and I think this group should top that. 

Aron Chmielewski – Chmielewski was the best player Poland had over the last decade. Unfortunately, due to a combination of club schedule and friction with the national team head coach, he rarely appeared for Poland. Maybe out of his prime, but at 34 years old, he remains a dynamic forward. In his return to the THL, he led all players with 29 goals in 50 games. Having him back for the first time since 2022 is such a major boost. This will be his seventh World Championship for Poland.

Mateusz Gościński – One of the many Tychy players in this lineup, Gościński has continued to develop his all-around game and become a key middle-six contributor for Tychy. He brings good size and versatility to the Polish lineup. This will be his fourth World Championship for Poland.

Szymon Kiełbicki – Kiełbicki will easily be this year’s breakout star. He was a late bloomer, but has become Poland’s most reliable weapon thanks to his speed and ability to finish on breakaways. The 23-year-old is likely to take up a top-line role in his IIHF debut. He is the exact kind of goal scorer that Poland has been missing for the past few years. Kiełbicki is the only non-naturalized player on the team to not appear with Poland U18 and/or U20 during his junior career. This will be his first World Championship for Poland.

Filip Komorski – Komorski has been one of the best goal scorers in Poland throughout his career. He has put up at least 13 goals every year of his professional career, except for one injured season. He just completed his third 20-plus goal season in a row for Tychy. Poland is going to be counting on him to rebound offensively after he went pointless at last year’s Worlds for the first time in his career. This will be his sixth World Championship for Poland.

Patryk Krężołek –  Krężołek has quickly developed into one of Poland’s best forwards and has been glued to the top line for the entire warm-up period. After leading the THL in goals in 2024 and 2025, he took his chance abroad, signing in the second level of Czechia. He got off to a slow start with 4 points (2G-2A) in 11 games. Krężołek found his groove and finished with 37 points (13G-24A) in 39 games. The 27-year-old looks to be a more complete player in his national team action this year. This will be his third World Championship for Poland.

Alan Łyszczarczyk – A speedster who has an outstanding offensive IQ, Łyszczarczyk creates plenty of high-danger scoring chances. He had strong seasons in the Ontario Hockey League as a junior before turning professional, spending a couple of seasons in the ECHL and the Maxa Liga. In his return to Poland, Łyszczarczyk has posted over 33 assists in three straight seasons. His play can sometimes be inconsistent, but make no mistake – he is dynamic when he’s on his game. He scored just under half of Poland’s goals last year, with his team leading 3. This will be his seventh World Championship for Poland.

Krzysztof Maciaś – Maciaś represents one of the biggest wild cards on Team Poland. After a successful end to his junior career in the Western Hockey League, Macias signed in Czechia’s Extraliga to begin his professional career. It was a mixed bag of a rookie year, with 7 goals and 5 assists in 48 games. Still, he is the only fifth Polish player to have a double-digit point season at that level, and it’s the most points in a year by a Pole since Aron Chmielewski had 17 in 2023. Last year, Kalaber kept the skilled young forward glued to the fourth line, a huge decrease in his ice time compared to the 2024 Worlds. How the new staff will look to use Maciaś will be interesting. He has shifted all around the lineup in the lead-up to the event. This will be his third World Championship for Poland.

Christian Mroczkowski – Mroczkowski’s return to the national team was a welcome surprise. The 31-year-old Canadian with a Polish passport appeared with Poland in 2021 but then not again until this year. He stayed in the THL entire time, posting solid production. In 2026, he moved to Polonia Bytom and was a huge boost to their return to the THL. In 44 games, he picked up 21 goals and 21 assists. A player who can do it all and isn’t afraid to get gritty, he will be a valuable piece for the bottom six of Poland. This will be his first World Championship for Poland.

Dominik Paś – Paś is the heart and soul of the national team now that Dziubiński has retired. He is a hard worker, has a high motor, and shows excellent awareness in all three zones. He can play everywhere in the lineup and do anything the team needs. When it comes to all-around players, he is the best Poland has. This will be his fifth World Championship for Poland.

Mikolaj Sytyi – Sytyi was born in Belarus but obtained a Polish passport during his fourth season with KH Torun. The skilled center has quickly found a role with the national team, playing often and chipping in quite a few points over the past two seasons. He has stayed in the fourth line center role almost the entire international season, something that it seems Tirkkonen really trusts him to handle. This will be his second World Championship for Poland.

Jakub Ślusarczyk – Ślusarczyk was always a huge contributor at the junior level; it was only a matter of time before he made it to the senior squad. Now at 22, he will make his World Championship debut after a breakout year with Jastrzebie. He more than doubled his THL production from last year, with 9 goals and 15 assists in 42 games. An undersized but crafty forward, Ślusarczyk is one of the hardest-working and smartest players on the ice. This will be his first World Championship for Poland.

Kamil Wałęga – The current best forward Poland has. Wałęga was hugely missed last year. He missed the tournament with an injury that also kept him out of the Tipsport Liga playoffs. Injuries also derailed the start of his 2026 season. Upon his return, he was electric, scoring four goals in his first game back for Vlci Zilina. He finished the year in Slovakia with 13 goals and 12 assists in 34 games. Wałęga is Poland’s top-line center, and his return raises them to another level.  This will be his fourth World Championship for Poland.

Patryk Wronka – Wronka is the most exciting player to watch in all of European hockey. Tremendous puck skills and speed make him dangerous whenever the puck is on his stick. His size is his only limiting factor. Wronka feels tailor-made for 3-on-3 hockey. A top scorer in Poland, he is one of the few players on the squad to have experience abroad. His creativity on break-ins was missed last year. This will be his seventh World Championship for Poland. 

Paweł Zygmunt – Zygmunt is a big and gritty forward. While he plays in the lower formations in Czechia, he’ll be a top-six player in the white and red. Poland will rely on him to be a power forward and establish the forecheck early. He can bring a lot of energy to the lineup. With 13 points in 21 games, he has been one of Poland’s top producers at the last four World Championships. This will be his fifth World Championship for Poland.

Predictions 

Coming into this year, it felt like the tournament was France’s and Kazakhstan’s to lose. At full strength, they’re both a clear step above the rest of the division. But neither is coming in at full strength, especially one with what may be their worst roster in years. It makes Division 1 Group A just as tight as last year. There will be no safe or easy game. Poland has quite the challenge to start, facing all the hardest opponents on paper. Can the white and red earn promotion after failing to medal last year? 

May 2nd, 2026. Game 1: Poland vs. Ukraine

Players to watch: Andrei Deniskin (F), Igor Merezhko (D), & Viktor Zakharov (F)

Ukraine has had Poland’s number of late. Last year, it was Ukraine winning 4-1 despite being outshot 27-21. In their lone match-up this year, Ukraine won 4-2 after Poland’s hot start couldn’t be sustained. This time on home ice and with a full-strength squad, I have Poland taking this one. Ukraine has played zero games in the lead-up to the worlds so they’re coming in cold. They’ll also be missing one of their best defenseman in Artur Cholach. 

Prediction: 3-2 Poland Win

May 3rd, 2026. Game 2: France vs. Poland. 

Players to watch: Antoine Keller (G), Hugo Gallet (D), & Louis Boudon (F)

France was finally relegated back to Division 1 after escaping it for so long. It’s not a place they’re going to want to be for long, but other issues may have come up. Earlier this year, we talked about how Poland may be catching France at the right time. That has seemed to come true. Only 12 members of their Olympic squad return for the Worlds. Of the 9 French players to record an Olympic point, only 4 are here. This team is much closer to the team Poland faced in December than to the team France brought to the Olympics. As France fights through coaching and locker room disputes, I have Poland picking up their second win. 

Prediction: 4-3 Poland Overtime Win

May 5th, 2026. Game 3: Kazakhstan vs. Poland. 

Players to watch: Andrei Shutov (G), Dinmukhamed Kaiyrzhan (F), Roman Starchenko (F)

The big story here is that Kazakhstan will likely be without its two best players, Nikita Mikhailis and Valeri Orekhov. Both are still busy with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) playoffs. They elevate their country to another level. But this is still a team loaded with players who get to play in the KHL. A young roster that is hungry to prove itself is going to be hard to beat for Poland.  Especially with such a strong goaltending duo at the top of their roster. 

Prediction: 5-2 Kazakhstan WIN 

May 7th, 2026. Game 4. Japan vs. Poland. 

Players to watch: Yuki Miura (F), Yu Sato (F), & Yushiroh Hirano (F)

Poland and Japan have become common World Championship rivals over the years, with big matchups in both D1A and D1B. Japan is not a team to play around with. They have so many top-end offensive players. The rest of the roster lacks strong depth, but those top players can keep up with any team’s top line. Both Great Britain and Ukraine saw this firsthand last year as Japan stole points from them. This is going to be an uncomfortable game at times, but I see Poland pulling ahead. 

Prediction: 5-3 Poland Win

May 8th, 2026. Game 5. Poland vs. Lithuania. 

Players to watch: Emilijus Krakauskas (F), Mantas Armalis (G), Mark Kaleinikovas (F)

Lithuania is a growing program with some impressive young talent coming. But the depth is not there on the national team yet. They are not going to go away easily, but we saw this match-up to kick off the month. With a shorthanded team, Poland had two clean victories. A lot is up in the air with their roster, and it’s already known they’ll be without star prospect Simas Ignatavicius as he prepares for the NHL draft. They have some scorers, and Armalis is one of the best goalies in this division. Still, I see Poland ending on a victory. 

Prediction: 4-1 Poland Win 

Standings 

1. Gold: Kazakhstan – 14pts (Promoted)
2. Silver: Poland – 11pts (Promoted)
3. Bronze: France – 9pts 
4. Ukraine – 7pts 
5. Japan – 3pts
6. Lithuania – 0pts (Relegated)

I have picked Poland to finish in second place and earn promotion to the 2027 Elite Division World Championship. I think in front of a home crowd with the best roster they have had in years, Poland will be able to handle whatever is thrown at them. This tournament is tight, and I expect everyone to drop some points. I could see these standings all over the place. In most of those standings, I do see Poland in one of the top two spots needed for promotion. 

Final Thoughts 

While I have picked Poland to earn promotion, I don’t think there needs to be panic if they don’t. For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel like the state of Polish hockey is dire. There are a lot of great things happening. The new leadership has done a great job of gaining new sponsorships and rebuilding relationships. Even from fans across Poland, I have already heard about all the marketing for the D1A Worlds in Sosnowiec. There are some junior programs making major progress with huge props to Cracovia and Krynica. Ice rinks are being built or receiving major renovations around the country. Then there is a universal training program coming with IIHF Hall of Famer Henryk Gruth in charge. The junior program is already producing good talent as well. Poland is building something that I think is sustainable.

While it’s true that once Russia and Belarus return, it will be harder to return to the Elite. Poland is going to have a team where you don’t have to rely on the suspensions of higher-ranking countries. It is going to take time, but it is coming. This year feels refreshing in so many ways.

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Thumbnail Photo via polskihokej.eu