Tag: Adrian Gromadzki

Mens Prospects July 19, 2022July 20, 2022

2022 Top 80 Men’s U23 Players. #30-21

We are more than halfway through the rankings now! Many remaining players have already well-established themselves as PHL players or have taken on the challenges of a top junior league abroad. This group of players features two major risers and the two highest debut rankings for 2022.

Players had to be under the age of 23 and at least 16-years-old on June 1st, 2022. 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 most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. 169 players were considered for the list and reviewed. Eighty players received a ranking.

Players 80-51

Players 50-41

Players 40-31

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2021, change in rankings)

30 – Karol Sterbenz (F), 19, HK Poprad U20 (15, -15)

Sterbenz was putting up a lot of points in the Austrian junior system, making him an intriguing player in the 2022 offseason. GKS Katowice agreed and offered him a tryout and invitation to training camp, but he would stay abroad in the end. He signed on with HK Propad U20, who play in Slovakia’s top junior hockey league. It was not the most explosive year production-wise, as the Katowice native posted 16 points (10G-6A-16PTS) in 49 games. His two-way playing contributed to the club’s top regular season finish and silver medal in the playoffs.

Sterbenz Goal vs MMHK Nitra Slovakia U20

Moving from Austria to Slovakia would be a jump, especially with such a strong club. Still, I was a bit disappointed in his production. His 16 points were 30th among all 18-year-old skaters in the league. When we look at production matches, many did not pursue hockey after their junior career. Of those who did, only 19% when to play 50 games in Slovakia’s top league, while a majority, 60%, went on to play in Slovakia’s second league. Sterbenz also represented Poland at the Divison 1 Group B U20 World Championships, where he posted 1 goal in 5 games. To project him being a strong player outside of Poland, he will have to post better production year in his age 19 season.

29 – Krystian Mocarski (F), 23, STS Sanok (28, -1)

Mocarski excelled in a more prominent role on the Gdansk and was one of 2021’s breakout players. In 2022, he moved to a better organization in Sanok. That move, of course, would come with a role decrease. While Sanok was not the best team, they certainly had more options at the forward end. Mocarski felt that as his production was halved. In 45 games, he posted one goal and nine assists. This placed him tied for seventh among all U23 skaters in points. His nine assists were top five among the age group.

Mocarski bounced around the lineup this year in Sanok, mostly settling in on the third line. He did earn some top-line chances late in the season, and it appears that Miika Elomo trusted him more than Marek Zietara did. We also see a vast difference in production under the two coaches, as it went from .15 under Zietara to .28 under Elomo. Mocarski is already a third liner in Poland, and I think his ceiling will be a middle-six guy but could crack the top lines in the bottom half of the PHL.

28 – Jakub Ślusarczyk (F), 19, HC Vitkovice U20 (57, +29)

Ślusarczyk is another player that receives a massive boost after barely playing the previous year due to COVID canceling Czech junior seasons. After spending the first two years abroad with HC Poruba, Ślusarczyk jumped to HC Vitkovice U20 in the top level of Czechia junior hockey. He flourished in his first season with the club, recording 11 goals and ten assists in 48 games. His 21 points were 47th among 18-year-old forwards.

Ślusarczyk Goal vs. Ukraine IIHF U20 D1B

It wasn’t instant success at the start of the year, as he only recorded six points in 20 games for the year’s first half. In December, he represented Poland at the Division 1 Group B U20 World Championships. There in five games, he recorded one goal. Once he returned, he was a bit of a changed player. He finished the year with 15 points in 27 games. Maybe it was just getting more comfortable in Czechia’s top junior league. Either way, that second half gives me a lot of hope for what next year could be.

27 – Michał Zając (F), 21, KH Torun (32, +5)

Zając is another player that left the sinking boat of Gdansk and moved on to another PHL club. The Bytom native stayed in northern Poland, moving to KH Torun. Like Mocarski, he would get a minor role downgrade, especially as a younger player. He didn’t experience that big of a drop in production though. For the 2022 season, he recorded eight points (2G-6A-8PTS) in 40 games. This was only down three points from his totals in 2021. It was the 11th most points by a U23 skater and the second most by an aged 20 forward.

I was thrilled with his production, given he was pretty much glued to the bottom six for Torun this year. So only a slight production drop with that ice time is not the end of the world. Production matches in the PHL don’t paint the brightest picture. Only one match, Martin Przygodzki, has gone on to great PHL success. Many players hovered in the 20-point range and had long PHL careers as critical bottom six contributors.

26 – Sebastian Brynkus (F), 21, Cracovia Krakow (19, -7)

Brynkus drops for two consecutive years on the list. In Cracovia, he has not been trusted with a significant role. This year Brynkus was stapled to the third and fourth line. He appeared in 46 games and scored three goals while assisting on four. The seven points being the second lowest point total in his four PHL seasons. He did make his second appearance for the Polish senior national team, where he scored a goal versus Ukraine.

It was rumored during the offseason that Brynkus could be leaving Cracovia. In the end, he returns to the red and white. When I wrote this report, Cracovia had already added Marek Racuk, Martin Kasperlík, Patryk Wronka, Radoslaw Sawicki, Robert Arrak, and Roman Rác to their forward core. It doesn’t seem like many spots in the top nine will open up soon. At only 21-years-old, Brynkus has a reasonable amount of time to develop.

25 – Armen Khoperia (D), 22, Zaglebie Sosnowiec (38, +13)

Khoperia is my fastest-rising PHL defenseman on the list this year. He earned his way up the Sosnowiec lineup, eventually taking on the top pairing duties. His club was in a complicated situation after Bartłomiej Bychawski left the team in January, and Daniel Klinecký failed to live up to expectations. Khoperia was thrown into the fire and ran with it.

Khoperia Secondary Assist vs. KH Torun PHL

2022 was his highest career point total as he posted six assists in 45 games. His six assists were tied for the most among all U23 defensemen. The stay-at-home defender also was appointed to the men’s senior national team for the April grouping. For 2023, Armen Khoperia is continuing to suit up for Zaglebie Sosnowiec. He should get plenty of chances and challenges.

24 – Dominik Kolat (F), 18, HC Poruba U20 (NR)

Kolat is our second highest-ranked debut player this year. The Czechia-born forward also has spent most of his junior career in the country. After only playing seven games in the Czechia U17 league for AZ Havirov in 2021, Kolat moved up to the U20 level with HC Poruba U20. This jump put him in the second-level of U20 hockey in Czechia. He also made a single appearance for AZ Havirov at the top level.

In 36 games, the Ostrava native scored 13 goals and assisted on nine. His .71 point per game average was 21st in the league among draft-eligible skaters. He broke out when he played for Poland U18 at the IIHF level. There in five games, he scored four goals and assisted on two. His four goals were tied for third in the tournament. I am excited to see him continue to grow in the Czech junior system.

23 – Eryk Schafer (D), 18, KH Torun (NR)

Schafer comes in as our highest-ranked debuting player. Watching him play this year, the best way I can describe him is a ball of energy that will not stop bouncing around til its hits someone or something. He made an impact everywhere he played this year, starting in the PHL, where he made the Torun lineup. He played in 27 games this year and scored his first PHL goal. Playing in the PHL at 17 as a defenseman is rare, so it makes sense that 83% of his production matches have become PHL regulars.

On top of his PHL season, he appeared for Sokoly Torun in the MHL. There he recorded 18 points (9G-9A-18PTS) in 21 games. This was tied for sixth among all defensemen in points while leading all U18 defensemen. He also made the Poland U20 squad for the D1B World Championships, where he posted one assist in five games. His season did end on a down note when he was left off the U18s squad due to off-ice issues. Head coach Łukasz Sokół did not elaborate on what occurred but said he talked with Schafer, who understood and took it well.

22 – Oliwier Kasperek (D), 20, MOSM Tychy (50, +28)

Kasperek comes in as our fourth highest-ranked defensemen. The Tychy native was the best defenseman for Poland at the U20 World Championships, where he posted two goals and one assist in five games. Those two goals led Poland at the event and were tied for the lead among all defensemen. His scoring was not his only asset, as he showed poise and firm control of the blue line. In his own zone against much stronger competition, he held his own.

Kasperek mainly played in the MHL this year but did appear in four games with GKS Tychy in the PHL. In 24 games, he posted 16 points (3G-13A-16PTS). His increase in production from 2021 saw him tied for second in points among all U20 defensemen in the MHL. For next year, he has already re-signed with Tychy. It will be hard to see him breaking the lineup full-time, but I hope he can get a few more PHL chances.

21 – Adrian Gromadzki (F), 18, HC Dynamo Pardubice U20 (26, +5)

One of my favorite things about Gromadzki is if you have a look at his season-by-season results, he has never not had a point per game season in at least one of level of hockey. From the junior leagues of Poland to Germany to now Czechia. In 2022, he moved up to the U20 leagues. He split the year between HC Chrudim U20 in the Czech second U20 league and HC Dynamo Pardubice U20 at the top level.

Gromadzki Primary Assist vs. Italy IIHF U18 D1B

He posted 26 points (14G-12A-26PTS) at the second level in Czechia in 20 games. His 1.30 point per game average was the fourth-best among U18 skaters, and it’s the third-best season by a player in a draft-eligible -1 season since 2010. In the top league, his production was not as strong as he fought to earn his palace on the team. He came in at 10 points (1G-9A-10PTS) in 27 games. His 10 points were tied for 19th among skaters in their Draft Eligible -1 season. 60% of his matches have gone to play at least 50 games in the Czechia’s top league.

It was a very strong year for Gromadzki, with great stints at both the top two levels of junior hockey in Czechia. To cap off his year, he represented Poland at the Division 1 Group B U18s, putting up two assists in five games.

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_. Also, support us on Patreon to help keep the content flowing!

Mens Prospects April 24, 2022

5 Players to Watch on Poland’s U18 Team

In 2019, the Polish U18 pulled off a perfect performance at the 2019 Division 2 Group A U18 World Championships. The team scored 36 goals while only allowing four in route to an excellent 5-0 record. Unfortunately, after two years in a row of the lower division U18 World Championships being canceled, we never got to see some of the team defend their gold and promotion to Division 1 Group B. It will be an all-new roster for Poland at the U18s, with zero of the squad having any previous U18 IIHF experience.

Poland will face some prominent opponents, as they will match up with the under 18 squads from Austria, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, and Ukraine. It will be an interesting test to see how the Polish U18 program has grown since 2019. Poland did make it back to Division 1 in 2017 but was promptly relegated back to the second division. Now the goal for this team will be to stay in Division 1. This team will be led by former national team member and long-time GKS Tychy forward Łukasz Sokół, making his IIHF head coaching debut. His assistants will be Adam Bagiński, Tomasz Kowalczyk, and Sebastian Owczarek. Bagiński is a current GKS Tychy assistant coach, and long-time player, while Kowalczyk is the former women’s U18 head coach. The well-experienced staff should help these young players compete and potentially catch the eyes of scouts. With that in mind, here are five players to watch at the U18s for Poland.

Adrian Gromadzki

A big scoring winger performing well in the Czech junior system is pretty uncommon for Poland. Gromadzki produced strongly in Poland, so he moved to Germany. He played great in Germany, so he moved to Czechia. He is a player whose stock continues to rise, as he just scores no matter where he goes. His ten points in 29 Czech U20 games is the first time he is not a point per game player in his career. Though he did post 26 points in 20 Czech U20 2 games. I have no doubt Gromadzki should be able to post some big numbers at the IIHF U18s.

Aleks Menc

Menc long looked like Poland’s next top hockey prospect after some ridiculous numbers at the young levels of Polish hockey and representing Poland at the youth Olympics. After some impressive years for his age at the top junior levels of hockey in Poland, Menc moved over to Sweden. Playing in the second level of Swedish U18 hockey, Menc has posted 18 points (12G-6A-18PTS) in 34 games. While not eye-popping numbers, they rank third on his squad. This will be our first chance to see the talented center on the IIHF level.

Blazej Chodor

Chodor has been tearing it up in Poland for a while now, and he does it as a 16-year-old defenseman. He posted the second-most points of all 16-aged players in the MHL while adding eight more points in just 17 games with Poland U16 in the Czechia junior system. It will be great to see the talented offensive defenseman at the U18s and against tough competition. He possesses the size scouts love already at 6’2, and would be my pick for the player to most interest scouts around Europe.

Krystian Lisowski

We don’t see many Polish prospects play in Finland, which is no surprise given how high the level of hockey is in the country. Lisowski has made himself at home in the Finnish junior ranks, scoring 38 points (26G-12A-36PTS) in 44 games with Kiekko-Espoo U18 Ch. Kiekko-Espoo plays in the top level of the Finnish junior ranks, where Lisowski’s point total ranks seventh among 16-year-old skaters. The Sanok native also played one game in the top U20 league, where he scored a goal.

Krzysztof Macias

It is not very often that Poland has two studs in one junior league outside of Poland. Macias has been a force in Czechia while playing most of his junior career there. At only 17-years-old, the Polish winger posted 36 points (14G-22A-36PTS) in 48 games with HC Vitkovice U20. This was tied for 65th among all skaters in the league while being tied for 11th among U18 skaters. It is a similar production range to some members of Czechia U18, who play in the IIHF’s elite division. Macias also has IIHF experience, as he represented Poland at the 2021 U20 World Championships, recording two assists.

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_.

Mens Prospects September 18, 2021December 16, 2021

2021 Top 50 Men’s U23 Players. #30-21

The top 50 list continues to march on as the hockey season as already started. We are starting to hit the big names on the list. In this list, I separate players into four tiers based on their floors. The fourth and last tier are players ranked 80-50. These are players I feel will have a chance to make the PHL, but no guarantee. The third tier is players I think will have PHL careers but will not be your top-line players. The second tier is players I view with a chance to become top liners in Poland. The first and final tiers are your players I feel can be good players or stars outside of Poland. Right now, we are just about at the end of tier 3.

The next set of players are primarily big risers. Only two of the following ten players fell in our rankings. When I say big risers, I mean it as well. Some of the players next up are the players I underestimated the most. We got to see a majority of the players spend their entire season in the PHL.

Players had to be under the age of 23 and at least 16-years-old on June 30th, 2021. Players are judged based on a combination of career history, current play, and potential. Players must have played at least five hockey games to be considered. While most of the ranking is my opinion, numerous Polish hockey people contributed their thoughts on players. One hundred forty-five players were considered for the list and reviewed. Eighty players received a ranking. Players 80-51 will be revealed at the end of the series in the breakdown article. Only the top 50 players receive a report.

Players 50-41

Players 40-31

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

30 – Miłosz Noworyta (D), 22, Unia Oświęcim, (27, -3)

Noworyta has made appearances for Oswiecim for the past three years, working his way to a full-time roster member last season. This year, he still spent more than a majority of his time with the senior squad. But found himself mostly relegated to the fourth line of defense with his older brother. He also missed a few games and played a couple of matches at the MHL level. His defensive play is the most notable highlight of his game, while his offensive game is lacking. While with the team, Unia Oswiecim has become more and more of a force in the PHL. They have continued to bring in better defenders ahead of him, which has played a part in dampening his development.

29 – Konrad Filipek (F), 22, STS Sanok (32, +3)

Filipek has slowly been working his way up the Sanok system playing with the club in the MHL and third tier of Slovak hockey. Now this year, he finally got a full-time shot at the senior level of the PHL. He responded with a goal and five assists in 36 games. It was 6th among points for players his age. His late birthday allowed him to play at international events in Poland as one of the most mature players. Which always helped him stand out a bit. Now he is showing that was not the only reason why though. He does turn 22 in the middle of the season, he will need to show he belongs higher up the line up soon.

28 – Krystian Mocarski (F), 22, Stoczniowiec Gdansk, (55, +27)

The Gdansk situation was not going to be an easy one for most players. A couple of players smashed it out of the park though, one of them was Krystian Mocarski. Mocarski had an excellent year for the blue and white in northern Poland. In total, he recorded eight goals and seven assists in 36 games. It was tied for 9th among U23 PHL players in terms of points, and his .42 PPG game average was 11th among U23 skaters. It was also second on all of Gdansk for points. Plus his total was also tied 44th among all Polish forward since the 2010 season in points per game. Next year Mocarski is moving to a much better Sanok team, and I’m excited to see how it goes.

27 – Jakub Blanik (F), 21, Zaglebie Sosnowiec (20, -7)

Last year Blanik went to Sosnowiec in search of more chances after he was deemed too small for JKH GKS Jastrzebie. It was a breakout year for the 5’7 forward who posted 7 points in 17 games with Sosnowiec, though he was also pointless in 13 games with PZHL U23. This year, he was scheduled to get a more significant role with Sosnowiec on their weaker roster. Blanik was one of the players that suffered from a watered down roster, as he posted a meager two goals and one assist in 31 games. His .10 point per game average was 30th among U23 PHL forwards. This was a rough year for a good player, who should be able to recover.

26 – Adrian Gromadzki (F), 17, HC Dynamo Pardubice U17 (NR)

Gromadzki would have been ranked last year if he met the age requirement. He was, unfortunately, playing in a Czechia junior system that shut down less than ten games in. He recorded three goals and four assists in his five games, Which were 9th among players in points per game that played five games in their draft-eligible -2 season. He has got the size and offensive touch that will get him attention outside Poland. He is set to play at the Czech U20 level next season.

25 – Jakub Bukowski (F), 21, STS Sanok (64, +36)

Bukowski has long been a good player for a long time abroad, but it was mainly in the second level of junior leagues in Czechia and Switzerland. Still, he has shown a lot of promise, and we put him as the U23 player to watch on Sanok. Bukowski delivered on that with five goals and six assists in 40 games. The second most points by a player in the draft-eligible +2 season. His ceiling is hard to tell, and he will need to continue to bulk up. The more time we get with him on Sanok, especially as the team improves, will help see what he can fully become. Right now, it appears his floor is a solid PHL middle-six forward.

24 – Sebastian Lipiński (G), 21, Unia Oswiecim (31, +7)

I think imports have a considerable place in Polish hockey, but there is no doubt that there is starting to be a problem with how few young goalies are playing. Lipiński is our top-ranked goalie who played four games in the PHL last year. He recorded a save percentage of .900, which is the highest of his career in the PHL. The rumors suggest that Lipiński will be playing in the U.K.’s NIHL, the second level of men’s hockey in the country. Not much else to say about it. There is a problem with Polish goalie development in a significant way. There is nowhere for them to play appropriately.

23 – Kacper Gruzla (F), 22, GKS Tychy (49, +26)

From barely making the top 50 to being right smack dab in the middle, Gruzla comes in at 23. Gruzla forced the Tychy staff to play him as much as possible. This was the first big taste of the PHL for the Mikolow native. He had previously played 14 games with PZHL U23, but only one with GKS Tychy. This year, he found himself with 22 games and responded with five goals and three assists. His nine points tied him for the 13th best point per game average among all U23 skaters, it is tied 9th among Polish players. Gruzla went from a young player looking to make an impression to a part of GKS Tychy’s everyday lineup.

22- Klaudiusz Libik (D), 20, Vålerenga U21 (12, -10)

Libik is a player I like a lot and I see a chance for Poland to have something their lineup often lacks. Which is a defenseman good enough to play in leagues stronger than the PHL. Libik worked his way up to the top junior leagues of Norway. In the end, his lack of experience, inconsistency, and quick changing of teams has resulted in a player with mixed development. This past year Libik managed a goal and an assist in seven games with Vålerenga U21, his third U21 junior team.

Now next year, he will be turning professional in Norways’ 2nd league. This is the perfect place for him to gain constant playing time against senior talent while developing. Hopefully, his flaws should not bite his game as much.

21 – Mateusz Bezwiński (F), 20, Cracovia Krakow, (26, +5)

Bezwiński’s improvement seems to get larger and larger every year. As the soon-to-be 20-year-old finished 5th in points among U20 skaters with three goals and three assists in 19 games, it was 3rd in points per game. In the MHL, he recorded 12 points in nine games, which is a tad bit better point per game average than the previous year. This is a bit more notable because of how many players lost points from the year prior. Krakow has a large batch of young forwards; hopefully, Bezwiński’s growth rate continues. He no doubt would have been one of the leaders at the U20s this year for Poland.

Players 20-16

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_.

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