Category: Womens Hockey

Womens Hockey

The Silver Lining. 5 Thoughts 2022 Women’s World Championships Division 1 Group B

For the first time since 2019, the World Championships were back. After two years of COVID cancellation, we finally got to see the Women’s senior team play at the IIHF World Championships again. It has been a while since we have last seen the team, and a lot has changed. Poland got in a team in the European Women’s Hockey League, and numerous players went outside Poland to develop their craft. This team was coming off qualifying for the final round of Olympic Qualification for the first time in team history as they upset the Netherlands. Could the team continue to make history in 2022?

Poland got off to a hot start right away defeating the oldest team in the tournament, Kazakhstan, 3-1. In game two, it was a huge goaltending battle as Sass took on NCAA goalie Pia Dukaric, Sass would come out on top as Poland beat Slovenia 4-0. Next up was South Korea, which had been a thorn in Poland’s side during the 2019 Worlds. Korea remained a thorn, but not too much as Poland won 2-1. Game four saw Poland take on Italy, which had defeated Poland in 2014, 2017, and 2018. This time, for the first time, Poland took down Itlay after some overtime heroics from Wiktoria Gogoc. This win set up a winner take all game five between Poland and group favorites China. Unfortunately, China would win that game easily after a strong first period with a final score of 7-2.

The 100 Club

Both Karolina Pozniewska and Klaudia Chrapek hit the 100-game mark for the Polish national team. An amazing and rare achievement. Especially when you consider the women’s senior team has only been active in the IIHF since 2011, only 49 games at the World Championships. Their dedication to growing the game in Poland is inspiring, and both have already left an amazing legacy while continuing to help Poland reach new heights. When they played their first games for team Poland, the team started all the way down in Division Two group B. Now Poland is on the cusp of Division 1 Group A, in just a decade.

Wall of Sass

Sass continues to dominate the game. She went toe to toe with some great goalies in this tournament and came out on top all but once. If you take away the game versus China, Sass stopped 97 of the 103 shots she faced, a .942 save percentage. Sass was named the best goaltender of the tournament, and probably turned some heads in the scouting world with her performance at the Worlds and with her club teams. She had to make some really tough saves at the Worlds as well.

Defensive Struggles

Poland’s defense was completely overmatched at this tournament. It was not the entire lineup, but it was a major problem. It hurt the team massively and wasn’t just against China. It really stood out versus Italy and South Korea as well. All tournament teams would generate big chances off massive mistakes by the Polish defense. It wasn’t a matter of bad positioning, it was just bad awareness and decision-making. Something you would hope would improve as players gain more experience but this was a problem with quite a few veterans.

A Complete Offense

While defensively, there may have been some bad plays, Poland’s defense stepped up huge in the opposing zone for the most part. The whole offense seemed to play with a lot of confidence. Poland scored the second-most goals in the tournament with 16, five more than second-place Italy. The forward group was making plays, while the defense launched quite a few shots from the point, in fact, five of Poland’s eight defensemen scored a goal at the tournament.

The Silver Lining

Poland took home silver. They lost to a China team that is more North American than it is Chinese. The import rules need not apply in the circumstances China got and it sucks. The IIHF thought it was fine to let a team that posted two wins in the elite division just play back down in Group B. Poland and Itlay both played at the Olympic qualification tournament this past year, and were killed in the final round. The second the imports returned it was China’s tournament. Poland would have to play more than perfect to survive, but they had a rough first period and it quickly became 6-0. Poland would only allow one more goal the rest of the way. China was only held scoreless in a single period the whole tournament and that was the second period versus Poland. A 7-2 defeat against a team that can win at the elite level is a sign of progress.

A silver medal is the best Polish finish of all time. While you can be upset about the China game, what Poland did in this tournament still made history, as they have done all year. Last year it was a bronze medal, now it is the first silver medal in Division 1. They beat 16th ranked Italy, the highest-ranked opponent Poland has ever defeated. On top of all that, Poland was the second youngest team at the tournament. They’re going to be back next year for gold.

Quick Thoughts

– Olivia Tomczok only played in three games, her missing the final two hit the team’s forward depth hard. A great forward even scored in game 1 against Kazakhstan.

– In her first tournament for team Poland Ukrainian import Tatiana Onyshchenko looked great. She added one goal and two assists.

– Dominika Korkuz really made some great plays in this tournament and picked her corner perfectly on her first national team goal.

– Former national team forward Magdalena Czaplik served as the equipment manager for the team. This was her first senior team staff appointment, congrats to her! She has been working behind the scenes for the U18 squad since 2018 while her playing career was still active.

– Julia Zielinska’s offensive game is really getting to the next level. Really has a chance of being an elite two-way player.

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

How China Became Poland’s Final Boss Battle

In 2019, the rising women’s senior team took bronze at the Division 1 Group B World Championships. They had a chance to win gold on the final day, and it was all you could ask from a group playing for only the third time in division 1. The previous two years saw Poland lose nine games while only winning one game in overtime. The bronze finish was a sign of better things to come for Polish hockey.

Since then, it feels the national team has expanded rapidly. So many young stars have emerged in the country. Sikorska was only 16 years old playing at the tournament. Ida Talanda, Julia Zielinska, and Magdalena Łąpieś were all too young to play for the senior team. This was before team Poland had a team in the EWHL. The national team has gained so much experience against stronger opponents and has shown themselves to be a strong Divison 1 threat. This was capped off after Poland defeated the Netherlands to advance to the final round of Olympic Qualification.

That final game in 2019 where Poland played for gold was funnily enough against the Netherlands, and the Dutch shut Poland out 2-0 to win gold and promotion to Division 1 Group A. Now Poland had their revenge and was able to take on Czechia, Norway, and Hungary for a shot at the Olympics. Now back at the World Championships, a Polish team with more experience under their belts somewhat emerged as a potential favorite to claim promotion this time around. The biggest challenge was to be the same team they beat to have a chance at gold on the final day, China.

On April 10th, 2019, Poland and China went to battle. Each team came in with two wins and one loss. While we talk about how the Polish team was still a year away from having a team in the EWHL, China had a squad in CWHL, Canada’s top women’s league. It was arguably the best or second women’s league in hockey at that time. A considerable level above the EWHL. It was a battle for survival and a chance at glory. China’s Xin He would strike first, and quickly at just 55 seconds into the game. Sikorska would continue to prove to be Poland’s future when she tied it up at the 12-minute mark. Poland then owned the second period, scoring two more times to take a commanding 3-1 lead into the third period.

China was not ready to roll over. China controlled the third, although Poland added another goal at the period’s halfway mark. China continued their push, scoring two goals shortly after to make it a 4-3 game with just seven minutes to play. Poland would fight off China’s last stand and win the game by one. Poland was outshot in the third period 17-5, after leading the shots on goal battle 26-21 after two periods.

Now we are back at the World Championships. Poland and China seemed destined for another battle at the top. Instead of a chance at gold, it’s for the gold. Italy, the highest-ranked country, was upset by Slovenia 3-1 after an outstanding 54 save performance by Yale goaltender Pia Dukaric. Then China beat Italy 6-3, having two losses almost guarantees a finish outside of first for Itlay. Poland has quickly moved past its opponents beating Kazakhstan, Slovenia, and South Korea by a combined score of 9-2. Of course, Italy is not just going to roll over and are still a massive threat to Poland. Poland lost to Itlay at the 2014, 2017, and 2018 World Championships. China isn’t out of the clear yet, as they have to beat Kazakhstan. A team that beat them in 2019. All this could be rendered mute.

Sass save vs. Italy 2018

Italy dropping their first two games, and the growth of both China and Poland make the favorites talk easy. Polish hockey has exploded. Wiktoria Sikorska is in her second SDHL season, playing in Europe’s best women league at only 19-years-old. Martyna Sass has genuinely become one of the best goalies in Division 1. Her growth in EWHL and Slovakia has been amazing to watch. Defensemen Julia Zielińska plays in Finland’s top league and has proven to be a top defenseman. Those are only a few of the players making massive jumps. Metropolis Katowice, Poland’s team in the EWHL, finished sixth in the league and made the playoffs. This is the best finish for the team in their short three-year history. The team had 11 wins in their first two seasons combined. The team won 10 games just in 2022. To top it off, Poland added a substantial import as Ukrainian forward Tetiana Onyshchenko gained Polish citizenship after being one of the best forwards in the PLHK the past few years. As great as that all is, it is not close to China, and there is nothing they could do.

China hosted the 2022 winter Olympics. Both the men’s and female’s senior teams would earn an automatic bid to play in hockey’s elite competition. Obviously, if China were to play with their usual roster, they would get absolutely crushed. It is not good for hockey, the IIHF, or the country. Especially when growing the sport, it is not good for potential fans to see their home country get decimated. This meant that IIHF needed to think fast and get these teams up to speed. Working with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, China was granted multiple teams across the levels of Russian hockey, including the KHL, the top men’s league, and the ZhHL, the top women’s league. Unfortunately, with all the time and money given, these projects failed tremendously. In the end, the roster was more North American than Chinese.

These squads were dominated by North American imports, while the IIHF looked the other way on their own strict rules. In 2018, female players were still required to participate in 12 consecutive months in a country before being declared eligible, and in 2019 that number was dropped to 8 months. The time from the KRS Vanke Rays’ first game of 2021-22 to China’s first Olympic game was 4 months and 12 days (134 days), well below the eight months or (240 days required). Unless a training camp started on June 7th and lasted to the Olympics, there were zero ways to meet the eligibility requirements for a large amount of China’s roster.

Let’s face facts. The IIHF needed to do this for the event and growth of the game. I understand and support that, and I want hockey to grow. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be writing about Polish hockey. It also worked out well for China as the women’s team stayed competitive and beat both Denmark and Japan. The Japan win is especially significant as Japan actually went on to win the rest of their group. It was great to see them succeed at the Olympics and possibly inspire the next generation of hockey players in China.

Now the Olympics are done. A team that beat two elite opponents in 6th ranked Japan and 10th ranked Denmark, will be playing in the second group of division 1. In Division 1 Group B, the highest-ranked team is 16th ranked Italy, who missed out on qualifying for the Olympics after getting outscored 2 to 14 in the final qualification round. Only one import that played on the Olympic team, starting goalie Kimberly Newell, is not returning for the World Championships. The team that Poland saw in 2019 has now gained 11 players from the two best women’s hockey countries on the planet that play in Europe’s second-best women’s league.

There is no topping that kind of growth. It makes China the clear favorite for gold and promotion. If Poland can’t keep up with Czechia, Hungary, and Norway. How will they keep up with players that even previously represented Canada and USA, albeit at the junior level, on the international stage?

Despite all that, Poland was keeping pace after two games. Poland had registered more shots on goal, while Sass led the tournament in save percentage. Poland had allowed just one goal compared to China’s three goals allowed. Two games into a tournament make these stats far from the truth due to the sample size against different opponents. That became very clear on game day three when China blew out Slovenia 14-2. A team Poland only beat 4-0. Poland won on day three as well. They beat South Korea 2-1, China beat South Korea 5-0 on day 1.

Poland beat China when they previously had the development advantage of the CWHL team. Now Poland will have to overcome a new obstacle. If there is one thing Poland’s women’s team does better than anything, it’s overcome obstacles.

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

2021 Top 50 Women’s U20 Players. Stats and Notes

The women’s top 50 list has officially concluded for the year. It is now time to look at just some random notes for the list, like what the team had the most players or which player had the highest rise. It was a fun and challenging list, thanks to the pandemic. Significant judgment calls had to be made for some players, given the limited number of games. The goal this year was to grow the list to 50 players.

For those wondering, the 2022 list will be happening after the Women’s U18 Division 1 Group B Championship from September 5th to the 11th. This is partly due to the lack of games over the past few years and how late 2021 was finished. 2022 Top 50 Women’s U20 list will begin on September 12th.

All Articles

Players 30-21Players 10-8Player 2
Players 20-16Players 7-4Player 1
Players 15-11Players 3

Top 80 Rankings

Biggest Risers

  1. Magdalena Łąpieś +17
  2. Julia Łapińska +12
  3. Katarzyna Zaborska +12
  4. Justyna Zyla +10
  5. Ida Talanda +7

Biggest Drops

  1. Helena Grzybowska -6
  2. Karolina Baran -5
  3. Alicja Kopciara -5
  4. Karolina Rostalska -2

Highest List Debuts

  1. Julia Skręt (7)
  2. Maja Brzezińska (8)
  3. Lena Zięba (10)
  4. Julia Bujak (19)
  5. Matylda Stępień (21)

Breakdown By Position

Breakdown By Team

Breakdown By Country

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

2021 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #1

After plenty of delay for the rankings this year, we have reached the final piece in the series. Yours truly worked one full-time job and one part-time job so I apologize for the time it took. The PLHK playoffs for the 2022 season are ongoing as I write, and we’re still counting down the 2021 performances. The Men’s side finally saw the reign of Łyszczarczyk end as he aged off the list, and Zygmunt took the top spot. Every year on the men’s side, Łyszczarczyk was on top since I started the rankings. The women’s list has a similar standing, as every year, the same player stands on top. While Łyszczarczyk was on top for coming close to heights that Poles have not seen in decades, our number one on the women’s side is a revolutionary player. 

Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. 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. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.

Players 30-21Players 10-8Player 2
Players 20-16Players 7-4
Players 15-11Players 3

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)

1 – Wiktoria Sikorska (F), 19, Göteborg HC, (1, 0)

Sikorska is the number one player for a third straight year. A truly revolutionary player for Poland. The confidence and skill that she plays with offensively is so fun to watch. She is the first Polish player to play in Sweden’s SDHL. The SDHL is considered by many to be the best women’s league in Europe. Many top national teams see their country’s best play their club seasons in the SDHL. 

In the offseason, Sikorska signed with Göteborg HC of the SDHL. The signing got a bit of fanfare from the Ice Garden of SBNation in their SDHL preview. 

“Sikorska led Karvina in scoring with eight goals and 10 assists in nine games. So, if you’re looking for a rising star on an underdog team to fall in love with, Sikorska is the player for you.”

While not the greatest club in the SDHL, they keep fighting off relegation. Sikorska recorded two goals and four assists in six games for her first season. While not eye-popping numbers, they were seventh on her team. When the team averages 1.27 goals per game, there will be some offensive struggles all around. It is rare for a U18 player to even appear in the league. Her six points were eight among all U18 players, and her two goals were tied for sixth. 

Sikorska Goal vs. HV71

Playing in such a major league, we have access to more numbers and more data to look up. It helps paint a more accurate picture of a player’s season instead of just basic stats and the eye test. First, with a long history, we have plenty of seasons similar to Sikorskas; 71% of Sikorska’s matches had long SDHL careers after their U18 season. This is great news, as being an SDHL regular would be a new high for Polish hockey. Next, we also have a much better tool to help us see where Sikorska is in the SDHL, thanks to Mikael Nahabedian’s SDHL player comparable pool, which gives players ratings. Here is how Sikorska compares to the other top U18 forwards. While both on the lower end, her defensive game rated better than her offensive, which was interesting to me given how much we talk about her offensive game. 

PlayersOverallOffenseDefense
Lova Blom777972
Nicole Hall727666
Maria Lindberg656663
Wilma Sjölund606451
Agnez Svensson333921
Hilda Svensson324211
Ella Albinsson302637
Wilma Sundin251347
Wiktoria Sikorska232028
Linnéa Pettersson Dove201929

Last, from Mikael Nahabedian and the Ice Garden, we have N-WHKYe. Networked Women’s Hockey Equivalency (N-WHKYe) is a metric that allows for the standardization of offensive production across more than 40 Women’s hockey leagues worldwide. We have a better idea of how Sikorska would fare in North America’s PHF or Russia’s ZhHL. Sikorska’s N-WHKYe was a 0.06. Which is t-197, out of 285 forwards from the PHF, SDHL, and ZnHL. It ranked t-90 out of 119 forwards in the SDHL. 

There were some struggles for sure this year, and that is expected. She smoothly grades out as a below-average forward in the SDHL. As impressive as Sikorksa is, she was never going to make a massive impact right away in Sweden. It is the best league in Europe for a reason, and it is a significant step up from Czechia’s top league and the EWHL. There will be some growing pains, especially with the quality of Göteborg HC. She is a rising star with no ceiling, and it is going to be fun watching her develop in one of the best leagues in Europe.

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

2021 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #2

We have now reached the top 2 players. A part of the ranking that has long been dominated by two people. Now one of those two has aged out of the rankings. Despite the open spot at number two, it was always obvious who was going to take that spot. Polish hockey has two players that are constantly breaking new ground for Polish players and they have yet to even turn 20. The most challenging choice of the rankings was who was number 1 and who had to be number two. 

Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. 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. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.

Players 30-21Players 10-8
Players 20-16Players 7-4
Players 15-11Players 3

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)

2 – Julia Zielińska (D), 17, Kiekko-Espoo, (3, +1) 

Zielińska moves up to second on the list, while in past years, goaltender Martyna Sass had locked down the number two spot. Sass aged off the list, but regardless Zielińska would have been number two while making a strong case for number 1. A big part of that number 1 case is her position. Defensemen are harder to develop, in my opinion. Especially when it comes to growing your game, teams only carry around six on their roster. So if you’re going to take up one as an import, you better be worth it. Zielińska has proved to Kiekko-Espoo that she is more than worth it. 

The Sanok native became a more regular player in the Naisten Liiga, the top women’s league in Finland. She played 12 games total, eight in the regular season and four playoff games. She also appeared in 12 games in the Metsis Q, the second division in Finland, where her offensive game flourished. There she scored eight goals and recorded nine assets. Her 17 points were the second most by all U18 defensemen. Her 1.42 point per game average was the most among all U18 defensemen during the 2021-22 season. It is the fifth-best all-time among all U18 defensemen. She also played in six games in Finland’s U18 league, the U18 Aluesarja, where she added another six goals and two assists. Not to mention it was a championship-winning season in the top league.

This was no doubt an outstanding season by a great young player. Finland is most likely the best women’s hockey country outside of North America right now for development. Giving Zielińska a great environment to apply and grow her game. She is in the perfect situation and example of why Polish players need to go abroad due to the lack of coaching and amenities for Polish players. Seeing her play now versus just a couple of years ago is a night and day comparison. She is already one of Poland’s best defenders. 

One of the biggest things that make her stick out from other Polish defenders is her offensive ability. There is no one like her in Poland for either national team; Klaudia Chrapek would have probably been the closest comparable. But her offensive potential from the blue line is what takes a top line and power-play unit to the next level. Her overall game continues to get better. At only 17-years-old this year, there is also a lot of time left to grow. 

That growth will continue in Finland. As for the 2022 season, Zielińska will be in a more significant role with Kiekko-Espoo, along with a heavily relied on player for the Polish national team at the Olympic Qualifiers and world championships. In December, she would also be on Poland’s U18 squad for the U18s after 2021’s tournament was canceled due to Covid. She will likely still be included on the roster that fights for promotion in the summer. Overall one of the best defenders to ever come out of Poland, and the sky is the limit.

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

2021 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #3

Now just the final three left in the rankings. These three are special players that have no right to be as good as they are just based on the odds of how Polish hockey has developed. The odds didn’t matter though, and at such a young age, they have inspired a generation of hockey fans in Poland that bigger things are possible. Two of the top three are very close in age, and have already made a tremendous impact on the sport in the country, while our number three player is a bit behind them in age, they have made their own impact in a very short time. 

Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. 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. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.

Players 30-21Players 10-8
Players 20-16Players 7-4
Players 15-11

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)

3 – Magdalena Łąpieś (F), 16, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (20, +17) 

When I ranked Łąpieś last year, she was only 14 turning 15 soon and had just put up a 20 point year in the PLHK A. There are a lot of really young forwards in the PLHK A that put up great numbers in their early years, and then try to chase that point total for the rest of their career. Of course, there is a multitude of reasons for this. One big thing you never see out of a lot of those players is a massive leap in their skillset. They rise, but not to the level their early success in the PLHK A would indicate. Łąpieś was already a different beast then them putting up 20 points in her first senior season. 

Łąpieś Goal vs. Latvia

Her 2021 season would suggest a similar path to a lot of the players I alluded to previously. As she went from 20 points in the regular season to just 11. But that doesn’t tell the whole story of her season and play. As she has quickly become one of the most lethal offensive options in Poland. Her game in the opposing zone is the complete package, and she is not only going to be a dominating force in Polish senior leagues but outside of Poland as well. If she wants to expand her game outside of Poland, I don’t believe it would be due to a lack of options at all.

Łąpieś did play in Poland for the 2022 season staying with Gdansk and earning larger roles with national teams both at the IIHF and EWHL levels. All rankings are based on 2021 play, but it would be hard for me to write about her, and not acknowledge the fact, the proof is there in 2022 that Łąpieś is a special player. I hope her success this year is enough for a team outside of Poland to present her an offer that would get her to leave Poland. Regardless Poland already has their next top 6 forward, and potentially someone that could pass Sikorska or Pozniewska.

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

2021 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #7-4

The march into the top ten continues as we reach the top five and those who just missed out. While this article features our player with the highest debut season on the list, we also start to get into a few players who have remained at the top of the list throughout the years. We are also now starting to reach more players who spent their 2021 season outside of Poland.

Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. 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. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.

Players 30-21Players 10-8
Players 20-16
Players 15-11

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)

7 – Julia Skręt (F), 16, Polonia Bytom, (Not Ranked) 

Skręt’s career continues to rise just like her ranking, which is the highest debut ranking this year. A strong performance with Janow in the PLHK B led to her joining the powerhouse that is Polonia Bytom. The talented young forward would record three goals and one assist in 15 games across the regular season and playoffs. She spent most of her time during the year in the juniors with UKS Zagłębie Sosnowiec at the Młodzik ŚZHL (U16) level. 

Her strong performance in Poland and potential led to the Tychy native going abroad and joining Södertälje SK in Sweden. They are one of the best women’s teams in Sweden’s second division. The same league where other Polish stars like Kamila Wieczorek, Olivia Tomczak, and Wiktoria Sikorska applied their trade. Skręt will be the youngest Polish skater to ever appear in the league. 

6 – Ida Talanda (RW), 18, Polonia Bytom, (13, +7) 

Talanda is Poland’s best-kept secret. While other players have received interest or made headlines due to going abroad, Talanda has stayed in Poland and flourished. The Krynica native has long been ready for senior hockey, waiting for that special breakout moment. I feel she definitely came close to that in 2021, being only one of two U18 players that played with Metropolis Katowice in the EWHL. There she played 14 games and recorded one assist. In Poland, she recorded a career-high of 18 points (12G-6A-18PTS) in 15 games for Polonia Bytom. Her regular-season 11 points were tenth among all skaters. 

Talanda Goal vs. Gdansk

5 – Iga Schramm (F), 19, Neuchâtel Hockey Academy Dames, (5, 0) 

Despite the COVID-19 year, Iga Schramm was still able to go abroad and play her first season outside Poland. She was a late addition to the roster of Swiss club Neuchâtel Hockey Academy Dames, who play in the top level of Swiss Hockey. The 18-year-old posted two assists in 21 games. While not eye-popping numbers, it is in line with what most other young players posted in the SWHL A. Her lone regular-season assist put her tied for 19th in points among U20 skaters. Neuchâtel Hockey Academy Dames finished second last in the league, scoring only 38 goals in 20 games. The lack of production is not surprising for a few reasons. Schramm is returning to Poland with Poznan and a great year of experience under her belt. 

4 – Zuzanna Baran (RW), 19, ZHK Sarisanka Presov, (4, 0)

Due to my choice to not punish players for lack of games during the COVID season, Zuzanna Baran’s ranking was just kinda frozen as she only played one game in Slovakia for the 2021 season. She did record a single assist in her lone game. 

If you want to keep up with all the Polish hockey action, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey, like our Facebook page, and add us on Instagram @PolishPuck_.

Womens Hockey

2021 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #10-8

We have now hit the top ten of our rankings. It was a really explosive year for newcomers on the list, as three players who were not ranked the previous year have found themselves in the top ten. While three other players have gigantic rises to make the top. In fact, a whole four players from last year’s top ten were able to survive and stay in the ten best. 

Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. 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. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)

Players 30-21

Players 20-16

Players 15-11

10 – Lena Zięba (F), 15, Polonia Bytom, (Not Ranked)

Zięba jumps all the way to the top 10. She had just missed being ranked in the previous edition after a strong year with Janow in the PLHK B and later training with the Metropolis Katowice in the EWHL. She moved from Janow to Polonia Bytom, a great sign for anyone’s future. Not only that, but she delivered at both the senior and junior levels. She scored 15 goals and added two assists in 19 games in the Żak Starszy ŚZHL while posting three goals and one assist in eight PLHK A games. She is showing a lot of promise, and I’m very disappointed we haven’t been able to see her at the IIHF level yet. She scored two goals and two assists in two exhibition games vs. Latvia. This was all done in her aged 14 season.

Lena Zięba Goal vs. Latvia

9 –  Julia Łapińska (F), 16, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (21, +12)  

Łapińska makes a huge jump on the list, moving from the 20s to the top ten. The Elblag native posted a new career-high in points for the PLHK A with 12 points (5G, 7A, 12PTS) in 15 games. Łapińska has continued to improve and improve on her craft in Gdansk and is poised to be a strong young player for Poland. Her talent level is beyond her years, and she is already contributing to senior teams in a major role at just 16-years-old. I’m not sure what her ceiling would project to be right now. I think her floor is a top PLHK player who makes national team appearances. 

8 – Maja Brzezińska (F), 16, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (Not Ranked)

From one great young Gdansk star to the next, with more to come, Brzezińska comes in ranked in the top ten in her first ranking. She is also the second-highest debut ranking for this year. It is well deserved after posting eight goals and seven assists in 12 regular-season games this year. Her 15 points were seventh among all skaters in PLHK A. Another player with lost U18 IIHF experiences due to the pandemic cancellations. But she made her presence felt when Poland took on Latvia, scoring two goals and assisting on five other goals in just two games. She generates scoring rates at such a high rate whenever on the ice. Often leaving her teammates with easy finishes. 

Maja Brzezińska Goal vs. Latvia

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Womens Hockey

Polonia Bytom Wins Seventh Straight PLHK Championship

Once again Polonia Bytom are the champions of Poland’s top women’s league. This marks the seventh straight championship season for Polonia. In the best of three series, they defeated repeat finalist Stoczniowca Gdańsk in just two games.

In the first game of the finals, Polonia Bytom showed why they’re the most dominant team in Polish hockey history with a 5-2 victory. In game two, Gdańsk left it all out on the ice. The first half of the game was filled with action both teams scoring twice. The final 30 minutes of the game would remain score-less though. With the title on the line the two teams went into overtime, where Ida Talanda scored the golden goal to give Polonia Bytom the win.

Full Final Game 2

Prior to knocking off Gdańsk, Polonia Bytom easily marched through the playoffs. In round one, they defeated UKH Biale Jastrzebie in two games, outscoring them 46-2. In the second round, they matched up with PTH Kozice Poznan. While Ponzan put up a better fight, they still were swept in two games, only managing one goal to Polonia’s 17.

The championship result was the expected outcome for the red and blue. Polonia Bytom went 16-0 in the regular season. Not only were they undefeated, but they scored 211 goals while only allowing 12. Their goal differential of +199, was 54 more than second-place Stoczniowca Gdańsk. Bytom was once again led by Polish legend Karolina Późniewska. Późniewska recorded a lead leaguing 116 points (58G-58A-116PTS) in just 16 games. Olivia Tomczok (62 points), Wiktoria Dziwok (44 points), Ida Talanda (41 points), and Klaudia Chrapek (40 points), also all cracked the PLHK’s regular-season top ten in scoring.

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Womens Hockey

2021 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #15-11

After more delays, we are now into the top half of the rankings with our best 15 players. Some players in the top 15 definitely benefit from their reputation as their amount of games was limited. The next five players are a mix of players that have made big strides or taken a big fall in our rankings, along with one defender that continues to just miss out on making the top ten. We will also see our top-ranked goalie, a spot that was up for grabs after Sass aged out of the list. 

Players had to be under 20 on June 30th, 2021. 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. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. Ninety-five players were considered for the list and reviewed, and fifty players received a ranking. Players 50-31 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 30 players receive a report.

Players 30-21

Players 20-16

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2020, change in rankings)

15 – Katarzyna Zaborska (D), 19, Unia Oswiecim, (27, +12)

We finished the last article with two straight Oscwiecim players and open the list with one to make it three straight. Zaborska makes her biggest jump up the list in her final year in the rankings. The almost veteran of the PLHK at this point had a great season in the PLHK. The biggest reason for her large jump was she became a full-time member of Metropolis Katowice in the EWHL, playing 13 games. Zaborska was one of two U20 players to play in the EWHL for Poland this year. Clearly a sign of what the management and coaching staff think of her. She is definitely one to watch for senior national team games soon. 

14 – Karolina Baran, (F), 19, KS Cracovia 1906 (9, -5)

Baran drops in her final year on the list. The talented forward remains a big part of Poland’s future. This drop was more about a couple of new players receiving huge debut rankings versus her own play. The Debica native posted 25 points (13G-12A-25PTS) in 16 games, down two points from her 2020 total. Her regular season 20 points were tied for fourth in the PLHK B. I would imagine Baran has a chance to start vying for national team spots soon, but no chances have come in the EWHL. 

Baran goal vs. Oswiecim

13 – Alicja Kobus, (F), 17, PTH Kozice Poznan (18, +5)

Kobus climb up the rankings after posting 17 points in 12 regular-season games, and this was up from her last season in the PLHK A. Her 17 ponts were also sixth among all skaters in the PLHK B. Kobus would have made her third appearance for the U18 squad in 2021 if not for Covid. Kobus has performed exceptionally well at the B level but not as strong against Poland’s top teams, that should change as she continues to gain more experience. 

Kobus drop pass assist vs. Latvia

12 – Helena Grzybowska (G), 19, PTH Kozice Poznan (12, +6)

Grzybowska took a large fall in the rankings and only didn’t fall further due to it being a covid season. A break-out year in 2020 saw success in the EWHL, PLHK, Slovakia’s top league, and, of course, on the international stage. It was the kind of performance that raised the question of Poland possibly having a lethal duo with Sass and Grzybowska. In 2021 though, Grzybowska only played in four games. The Poznan native posted a .760% save percentage in her lone regular-season appearance but did appear in form with a .906% save percentage in her three playoff appearances.

11 – Vanessa Patla (D), 19, Polonia Bytom (11, +0)

Patla stays consistent in her final ranking. A rise in the ranking would have happened if not for a big jumper. The Polonia Bytom two-way defender posted a new career-high in points after recording five goals and three assists in 15 games. Patla appeared in the EWHL during the 2020 season but did not make any appearances for the team in 2021. The soon-to-be 20-year-old is already a three-time PLHK champion.

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