Tag: Dominik Pas

Mens Prospects

2022 Top 80 Men’s U23 Players. #3

We are now in the top 3. Our player at three shared a lot of similarities to the players ranked fifth and fourth. He was able to push past his setback for a better second half. He is also our highest-ranked player to play in Poland this year. 

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 80-51Players 30-21Players 10-8
Players 50-41Players 20-16Players 7-6
Players 40-31Players 15-11Players 5-4

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

3 – Dominik Paś (F), 23, JKH GKS Jastrzebie, (4, +1) 

Pas is one of the players I have consistently ranked high since I started covering Polish hockey. In his final ranking before aging off, he comes in at 3. Paś went abroad this season for the first time in his career, and it is something that I was hoping would happen for a while. He signed with AZ Havířov in the Chance Liga, the second level of Czech hockey. It was an excellent place for him to start, and I was excited to hopefully see a strong year garner interest from a team at the top level. 

That didn’t happen. Pas scored only two goals and assisted on four in 21 games. He fired 24 shots and was on the ice for an average of 13:48 a game. It was not a star-making performance, and he would return to Poland just before Christmas. Another one of the top five players that lost their spot after just half a season. At that point, when I did my mid-season look, I thought Pas was squarely number five with a strong chance that Bukowski or Macias could be ranked over him. His return to the PHL with JKH GKS Jastrzebie needed to be strong to keep his spot. 

It was not just a solid return to Poland but an electrifying one. The 5’10 forward put up 22 points (10G-12A-22PTS) in 29 games, with 15 of those points coming in 15 playoff games. Despite the late start, he finished fourth for scoring among all U23 skaters and second among Polish U23 skaters. He instantly returned to being one of Poland’s most explosive two-way forwards. While the PHL performance was outstanding, what set his second half over the edge was his play at the Division 1 Group B World Championships. 

This play right there. It shows why Pas is one of the most complete players in Poland. He finished with four points in four games, which included three goals. He was so amazing to watch in the tournament, and he sometimes felt like the best player on team Poland.

His performance was so strong that after the season, he attracted offers from not just all over Poland but even clubs abroad, wanting to see if he would take another chance at playing outside of his home country. Ultimately, he re-signed with JKH GKS Jastrzebie on a one-year agreement. I don’t know if Pas will ever be a great player outside of Poland, but I do know that he will be one of the highlights of the national team for years to come. He is the kind of player that can take the team to the next level regardless of where he plays in his club season.

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 Hockey

Time To Celebrate! 2022 Men’s Senior World Championship Division 1 Group B 5 Thoughts

After two years of Covid cancellations, we were finally back to IIHF tournaments. It has been a wild year, and one with a lot to celebrate in Poland regardless of how the Men’s Senior performed at this tournament. Despite that, failure would not be an option for team Poland at the event. The team that was on the cusp of playing in the Elite during the mid-2010s was stuck in Group B for a second straight tournament. Poland needed to get back in Group A, or sweeping changes were bound to occur.

Poland started off the tournament in a strong fashion. They would shut out their first opponent Estonia in a 3-0 win. In the following game, Poland took on Ukraine. Ukraine, despite playing during an extremely difficult time in their country, put up an extremely strong fight. Poland and Ukraine would stay even until the end, when eventually Poland won in a shootout. The third game was a blowout victory versus Serbia that ended 10-2. Poland and Japan were meeting on the final day with gold and promotion on the line. While Poland was the favorite, Ukraine took them to overtime and Serbia posted two goals against them. Japan was a strong team, and Poland was not unbeatable. In the end, Murray held strong and Lyszczarczyk carried the offense. Poland defeated Japan 2-0 to win gold and promotion!

GOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDD

We can break down every game and the concerns of the future, but first, let us take a chance to take a breath and enjoy the moment. Poland won gold. It feels good, Japan and Ukraine were great wins for the team. We all wanted to see progress out of the national team, and they no doubt showed that this year. The team was full of youth and was missing three veterans in Kapica, Kolusz, and Pasuit. We saw the new core of the team step up and win gold. Five members of the roster were making their World Championship debuts, while five more were in their second appearance. Only 12 skaters appeared with Poland at the 2018 Division 1 Group A World Championships. Poland won gold, let us be happy.

The Wall of Murray

Everyone’s favorite American in Poland did it again. Murray stopped 88 of the 90 shots he faced. He shutout both Estonia and Japan en route to Poland’s gold. He only allowed two goals against Ukraine, while also only allowing one Ukrainian shooter to score during the five-round shootout. Poland didn’t make it easy for him as well. Poland was outshot versus both Estonia and Ukraine and only outshot Japan by three. Against Japan and Ukraine, Poland only held a 2-goal lead for a minute, making every save crucial.

Powerplay Woes

Poland went 1 for 15 on the powerplay, including 1 for 5 against Serbia. Poland scored 9 even-strength goals against Serbia. If Poland wants to stay in Group A, the powerplay is going to need a major overhaul. Poland had plenty of chances to close out the games against Japan and Ukraine on the powerplay but kept coming up short. Against Ukraine, this was really bad as the game was in sudden death overtime, where one goal was all that was needed. Instead, Poland’s powerplay expired, and then they gave Ukraine a powerplay of their own.

The Next Powerplay QB

One of the reasons for the powerplay struggle might have been the fact that Poland really lacks a dynamic offensive defenseman. For most of the years in Division 1 Group A, Pawel Dronia patrolled the line and racked up 29 points in 40 games. Then Marcin Kolusz switched over to the defense, revitalizing his career. Neither was at the tournament for Poland, and we might not see them play again for the national team. Only one defenseman on the national team roster finished top 10 in points among defensemen in the PHL. Maciej Kruczek finished with 21 points, which was 8th among defensemen. Only two more were top 20. Bryk finished 13th, while Jaskiewicz was 19th. As I say this though, it was a defenseman who scored the gold-winning goal for Poland.

What is Next?

Poland now heads back to Division Group A for the first time since 2018. While we can try to speculate on their opponents, we will have to see how the IIHF handles Russia and Belarus, along with changes they made with those two teams being suspended due to their invasion of Ukraine. The 2022 Group A tournament will take place from May 3rd to May 8th in Slovenia. The 2023 edition of the tournament will take place from April 23rd through April 30th in a to be determined location.

Quick Thoughts

– Poland’s team at the tournament had an average age of 27.36. While the oldest in the tournament, it is the youngest team Poland has had since 2014.

– David Zabolotny became only the fifth goalie to start a game at the World Championships for Poland since 2010.

– Dominik Pas had a really good tournament, especially against Ukraine. He was always on the puck, and a huge thorn in their side.

– Poland’s penalty kill was equally as good as their powerplay was bad. Opponents went 1 for 15 against Poland’s penalty kill unit.

– Poland’s top seven scorers all played at least one season abroad as a senior. Going outside Poland helps development no matter the age of the player; Filip Komorski in his age 30 season is a completely changed player after one year in Czechia.

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

2021 Top 50 Men’s U23 Players. #5-4

Now down to the top 5. The top 5 are the most consistent part of the rankings. Since I started the top 50, the top five have been dominated by five players. This year the usual number one aged out of the rankings. By the mid-way point of the season, I still had no clue which player would take the top spot. So many players made such great strides that it became hard to rank the top five. In the end, after a lot of debate, two players had to be left outside the final three, and weirdly enough, they’re teammates. 

Players had to be under the age of 23 and at least 16-years-old 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. 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 50-41Players 15-11
Players 40-31Players 10-8
Players 30-21Players 7-6
Players 20-16

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

5 – Kamil Wałęga (F), 21, JKH GKS Jastrzebie, (6, +1) 

Kamil Wałęga has continued to skyrocket up the rankings and was a candidate for even the top spot at times during the season. In both zones, Wałęga has continued to progress into even more of a complete player. It was a banner year in the JKH GKS Jastrzebie as the team took home the PHL championship. 

This year, he had a production decline as Jastzrebie added more depth to their forward lineup. Forwards like Kasperlík, Hovorka, Phillips, Rac, Sawicki, and Urbanowicz created a solid veteran group. Add in plenty of great young players like Jarosz, Pas, Soltys, and Wałęga and it created a crowded forward group. In total, Wałęga managed 19 points (8G-11A-19PTS) in 45 games. His point total was tied for sixth among all U23 skaters. 

The decline is pretty significant in production, with him going from a .65 point per game average to .42 points per game. While it is not great to see from a player, he did maintain his goal total but saw the assist total drop. We can assess his decrease in part due to power-play opportunities, as last year Wałęga recorded nine powerplay points to just three powerplay points in 2021. Wałęga also made his senior men’s international team debut with four games, including scoring one goal at the three seas cup. 

In terms of production matches, it is a nice mix of solid PHL forwards but no players have become great players outside of Poland. Wałęga has signed in Slovakia’s top league, the Tipsport Liga, for the 2022 season. While the ranking was based entirely on the 2021 season, Wałęga has been off to a great start in Slovakia. The future is certainly looking bright for Wałęga, especially with him being a key contributor to Poland at international events in 2022. 

4 – Dominik Paś (F), 22, JKH GKS Jastrzębie, (4, +0) 

Dominik Paś has long been one of the best young two-way forwards in the country, and that status was upheld in 2021. The Jastrzebie native came off a 2020 season that contained a career-high in PHL points along with plenty of national team success. Pas was affected by the same reasons that we talked about in regards to previous JKH GKS Jastrzebie players. A stacked lineup saw some young players lose some opportunities. 

Paś did experience a slight production decline, but it was not as bad compared to other young Jastrzębie forwards. In 2020, he posted a point per game average of .75, while in 2021, it went down to .65 points per game. He posted 24 points (7G-17A-24PTS) in 35 games in the regular season. He broke out during the playoffs. With a new playoff career-high of eight points in 14 games, tied for third on the team. It was crucial for his team, as plenty of the veterans dropped in production by a substantial amount. 

It was not just in the PHL that Paś found success. The 5’10 forward recorded four assists in five games with the national team, and this included three assists during the threes seas tournament. Pas was also an essential part of the national team that upset Kazakstan in the qualifying round during 2020 qualifiers and would be on the team that fought with Olympic hopes and possibilities in 2021. 

On top of his national team opportunities in the 2022 season, he tried his hand aboard like other young Jastrzębie forward Jan Soltys and Kamil Wałęga. He would join the Hockey Progress Management agency and try for chances in the Chance Liga and Tipsport Liga. Pas would earn a spot on AZ Havirov but returned to Poland and Jastrzębie for the second half of the 2022 season.

Player #3

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 Hockey

Light at the End of the Tunnel. 5 Thoughts Olympic Qualification

The light at the end of the tunnel is here. 

For the past few years, I have taken an approach to Polish hockey that is a bit dark at times, wondering if there is any end in sight for the downfall that Polish hockey had begun. While also stressing at the same time that there was young talent there to help build the national team. That young talent has to lead us to the light at the end of the tunnel. Poland pulled off a massive upset over Belarus. This win was mainly due to the heroics of John Murray, yes the most Polish name to ever to Polish. The team in front of Murray executed the game plan to a key. Poland was outshot by plenty. Most of the shots were forced to the outside and not key scoring areas.

Poland would drop the final two games, losing 5-1 to Slovakia and then 4-1 to Austria. While the last two losses hurt, they can’t destroy the high from the first win at the final stage of Olympic qualification for Poland.

Am I an Idiot? 

In my post dissecting the Polish roster beforehand, I criticized the overly defensive forward group that Kalaber brought to the tournament. Poland only scored three goals in this tournament, less than the six goals when Poland was in the final qualification round for the previous Olympics. Could Poland have used those goal scorers? Yes, but also Kalaber brought the players for his plan. Those players executed the plan strongly, and Poland stayed competitive and won a game. So I am going to say I was wrong there. 

Alan the Iron Man

We already have gone on about Lyszczarczyk’s outstanding play last year, especially with his 90 plus games played this past season. Now just a couple of months later, he was suiting up for team Poland against the best competition he has faced potentially in his career. He did not appear out of place, recording three assists to lead Poland in points and tied for the tournament lead in points.

Hurray Murray 

There was no doubt that John Murray was the MVP of this tournament for Poland. The American turned Pole was an absolute stud in this tournament. While the team in front of him tried to take as much pressure off as possible. He had to stop a total of 124 shots total, including his 46 save shutout versus Belarus. Polish goaltending is going to be in good hands for the remainder of his national team career. 

A Changed Zygmunt 

Polish players need to go abroad to reach their full potential. Getting the level of coaching and training that others possess will take years and money that the PZHL doesn’t have right now.  When Zygmunt left Poland, he had a lot of potential, but his game had many flaws. Ever since he started playing in Czechia, he is a changed player. Zygmunt especially knows how to use his size now, along with significant strides in his skating. He is one of the most critical players in Poland’s future. 

Pas’ Time 

This year, Dominik Pas is set to play his first season aboard in the top league of Slovakia men’s hockey. HK Dukla Michalovce is getting a good one. When Pas was on the ice, he made a solid impact and was a pain in the ass to play against. Pas’ forechecking and two-way ability gives him a complete skillset that a lot of other players lack. I’m excited to see how he will grow against stronger competition with improved training. 

Quick thoughts 

  • Pasiut is such a welcome return to the national team. Lead the team in shots on goal with 11. 
  • Penalties were low this tournament, and it was good to see, especially when the competition plays so much faster. Still some at bad times, but Poland was last in penalty minutes. 
  • On the flip side, Poland had the best penalty kill in the tournament, allowing a single goal while shorthanded.
  • I’m proud of this team. They did the unthinkable and got us all to believe the Olympics were possible, even if for a second. 
  • The young core of the national team is here. Alan Lyszczarczyk (23), Kamil Walega, Pawel Zygmunt, and Dominik Pas (21) were key players in this tournament. That is not even counting Damian Tyczyński, Jakub Lewandowski, and Jan Soltys. They’re the light at the end of the tunnel.
Uncategorized

JKH GKS Jastrzebie To Lose their Trio of Young Stars

JKH GKS Jastrzebie was able to reach to the pinnacle of the PHL last season. It can be lonely at the top though, as the talent factory of Poland has suffered quite a few losses this offseason. The losses started at the top when top import Zack Phillips departed the team to move to the blue and white in Oswiecim. Then 23-year-old defensemen Jakub Michałowski departed for GKS Tychy. Now it appears their young trio of stars made up of Dominik Pas, Kamil Walega, and Jan Soltys will be trying their hand abroad.

Dominik Pas has signed with Tipos Extraliga squad HK Dukla Michalovce. They finished bronze last year in the top level of Slovak hockey. The team is coached by a familiar face in former Poland national team head coach Tomek Valtonen. The deal is a one year deal with a two month trial period. The home-grown Jastrzebie native recorded 10 goals and 22 assists in 49 games.

Meanwhile Kamil Walega is trying out with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of the Tipos Extraliga He will be training with the club and playing in preseason matches in the hopes of earning a contract with the club. HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas finished last place in Slovakia last year with only 6 wins and 44 losses. Last year the 6’0 forward, recorded 8 goals and 11 assists in 45 games.

The final piece of hte trio Jan Sołtys is also training with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas. He is exploring a few options in the Tipos Extraliga and Czech first league though. Sołtys is the youngest of the three forwards at 20-years-old. The two-way forward recorded 8 goals and 7 assists in 39 games this year.

Thanks to agencies run by former PHL players, we have certaintly see a huge rise in the amount of Polish talent taking their talents outside of Poland. For all three of these players it is a great chance to improve their skills, along with with reputation of Polish hockey. For JKH GKS Jastrzebie though, there depth as taken a major hit and as team gets ready to compete in the Champions Hockey League it will interesting to see how the team reloads.

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

2020 Top 50 Men’s U23 Players. #4

We have now reached the top five of the list. When making the list, I had about three tiers of players divided by what I believe the player was most likely capable of. The top five are their own tier of players that I would label as the definitive players that are the future of Polish hockey. These five players have the potential to elevate Polish hockey to a new level. They’re all more than capable of being top players in Poland, or key players outside the country. Poland reaching the elite division and staying there relies a lot on these players reaching their full potential.

Players 50-41 Players 15-13 Player 9 Player 5
Players 40-31 Player 12 Player 8
Players 30-21 Player 11 Player 7
Players 20-16 Player 10 Player 6

Rank – Player Name (Position), Age During Next Hockey Season, Team (Ranking in 2019, change in rankings

4 – Dominik Paś (F), 21, JKH GKS Jastrzebie, (4, 0)

Paś is the most complete young forward in Polish hockey. He has a great two-way game that makes him the most crucial player going forward for Poland. Last season, he finally had his true offensive breakout year, despite him only be 20-years-old. His year was so impressive he has started to generate some interest outside Poland.

This year for JKH GKS Jastrzebie, Paś posted 39 points (17-22-39) in 52 games. This set new career highs in games played, goals, assists, and points. It was 25th overall in the PHL and sixth on Jastrzebie. The 5’10 forward was also very impressive at the Visegrad Cup, where he posted five points (3-2-5) in nine games. Eleven of his points did come against Janow or PZHL U23, which is just above the league average for his production. That would leave him with 28 points though against quality competition, which is nothing to scoff at. It also would still be a career-high.

pas goal 1

Since 1999-2000, his year was tied for sixth-most points by a U20 player, his points per game ranking 14th. That is quite the impressive season by him, giving the amount of young talent, especially recently, to put up substantial numbers in the PHL. It is the 26th best year in points by a U23 player overall. Given the strength of the PHL this year, his season is definitely something that should be putting him on the radar for teams in stronger leagues all over Europe.

 

His season comes with just three points per game comparables that performed the same, age-wise. This list includes Grzegorz Pasiut, Teddy Da Costa, and Tobiasz Bernat. Obviously, Pursuit and Da Costa went on to have great careers in Poland and outside the PHL. Pasiut, before his national team retirement, was one of the top forwards for team Poland, while Da Costa is a valuable part of the French national team. Bernat, the outlier of the two, was a solid player in the PHL, but nothing special.

The Jastrzebie native also made his senior IIHF-debut for team Poland at the Olympic qualifiers. He was the second-youngest player on team Poland, after Pawel Zygmunt. He would put up a goal and assist versus the Netherlands on day one of the tournament. He would play just above 13 minutes in the final game against Kazakhstan, being entrusted in must-win situations by Tomek Valtonen. He also finished fourth on the team in shots.

pas goal 2

Moving out from the statistics, Paś is an excellent leader and has a great two-way game. Staff and teammates that I have talked to praise those abilities of his. He is a brilliant player, and that is at both ends of the ice. He could be stronger in the faceoff circle, but that is a very minor critique.  I think Paś is a lock to be at least a middle-six forward for Poland in the future. His floor is higher than most, while his ceiling is incredibly high.

It was reported earlier this offseason that Paś was considering an offer to play in the top league of France. While the league may be a minor step up on Poland overall in my opinion, it is generally held in a higher regard. It seems that as of right now, Paś will be staying in Poland. While I may too often suggest that players should leave Poland, I think he is in an excellent place in Jastrzebie this year.

pas goal 3

He will be under the guidance of national team head coach Robert Kalaber for another year, with a chance to increase his role again in the team. The national team will be an excellent stage for Paś to show off his game while getting another year of top-line experience under his belt. Paś should definitely leave Poland for a stronger league eventually before he gets too old. There is nothing wrong with staying in Poland this year. Rub shoulders with Marek Hovorka, and get that national team spotlight. Paś is the glue for Poland’s top lines that will help evaluate them to another level.

Player 3

If you want to keep up with all the offseason news, make sure to follow us on Twitter @PolandHockey and like our Facebook page.

Mens Hockey

5 Thoughts 2020 Men’s Olympic Qualification

Things started to appear as dark as they always do for the Men’s senior team just days before this tournament. Patryk Wronka had pulled out, as well as three other players and Poland was a bit low on depth. In the end though, this Polish squad took the lead in every game they played and only once trailed in the entire tournament after a slow first period against Ukraine. This was the best I have seen the men’s team play in a long time. Easily their best tournament under Tomek Valtonen.

Walls Wish They Could Be Murray

One of the biggest reasons Poland won this tournament and are advancing to the next stage of the Olympic Qualification is John Murray. He was outstanding and finished with a .960 save percentage. The highest in the entire tournament! His best performance was against Kazaksthan where he stopped 51 out 53 shots.

Points for Ciura! 

Bartosz Ciura had played in 59 games for the Polish men’s team before this tournament. He had not recorded a single point in any of those games. The GKS Tychy defensemen isn’t that bad offensively recording 96 points (21-75-96) in 446 PHL games. Against the Netherlands, he recorded his first assist for the Men’s team and against Kazakhstan his first goal to give Poland a 1-0 lead.

The Open League Improvement

Poland’s controversial decision to remove an import limit on the league was met with comments about how it could kill Polish hockey. In year one, the league is stronger than ever before. Polish captain Krystian Dziubinski talked about it to IIHF.com,

“Now it’s very tight, any one of the top eight teams can beat anyone else. The other two are not quite there, but maybe they will change something in the near future. Most important, the standard is getting higher. We can see that with the Polish teams in the Visegrad Cup. Jastrzebie won that cup last month, they beat Nitra, who came second in the Slovak league last year, so there’s more progress there.”

The standard is raising for sure and the increased quality of the league has resulted in some big growths for younger Polish players. Dominik Pas was able to continue to test his defensive side against much stronger players and looked miles ahead of last year. Oskar Jaskiewicz seemed more offensively sound and confident and scored twice. Jakub Michalowski held his own defensively never looking out of place. While the detractors may be right in the long run, there have been nothing benefits to the first year of the open league in my opinion.

Strong Special Teams

It seems often when doing 5 Thoughts I have to point out a weak penalty kill or power play. That is now the case for Poland this time. Poland’s powerplay was the best in the entire group with a 35.7 powerplay percentage. The penalty kill was even better not allowing a single powerplay goal on all eight kills.

A Much Needed Win

The first article I wrote this year was looking at who had the most to prove in 2020. The number one person on that list was Tomek Valtonen, I kept his short basically saying it was time to win or get out. Valtonen picked up the biggest win of his Polish hockey career today. The team looked fantastic and really seemed to be clicking in his system. When I defended Ted Nolan I said it would take more than a year to install a system. While his start may have been rougher, the same goes for Valtonen. In a time where the men’s team was appearing as dark as could be this was a much-needed win. There is a light at the end of the tunnel again.

Quick Thoughts

– Oskar Jaskiewicz had a great tournament, not only did he score two goals, but he also added an assist. He tied Krystian Dziubinski for the lead in shots on the team with 12.

– Three of the six defensemen on this team were 25 or under. Defense is probably the position Poland lacks the most depth at. This tournament saw them missing three national team regulars. The defense was able to thrive though.

– Martin Przygodzki is one of the numerous players that never had any national team chances until Valtonen arrived, in his IIHF senior debut he scored two goals.

– Congrats to Michal Kieler on stopping the lone shot he faced in the tournament. The young goalie does actually have a bright future for Poland.

PHL

“Breakout Stars?” 2019-20 PHL Team Previews: JKH GKS Jastrzebie

Leading up to the start of 2019-20 season, we will preview every team in the PHL

JKH GKS Jastrzebie is the team that it would be great if every other PHL team could be them. They are the best at developing talent by far. This has created an amazing young core of talent that will have them being a contender for years to come if players stay.  Last year, after a strong start their season ended quickly at the hands of Cracovia Krakow. There is no doubt that they have the young talent and potential, but the production hasn’t been there. 40-year-old center Peter Fabus led the team in points last year. Fabus and Tomas Kominek were the only two players with more than 25 points last season and now both are gone. They found upgrades over both in my opinion, but if they’re going to win it all, they need their young talent to start producing offensively.

Forwards

Dominik Jarosz – Jesse Rohtla – Maciej Urbanowicz

Artem Iossafov – Radoslaw Sawicki  – Dominik Pas

Martin Kasperlík – Jan Soltys – Kamil Walega

Radoslaw Nalewajka – Kamil Wróbel – Patryk Pelaczyk

Other forwards: Lukasz Nalewajka, Patryk Matusik, Tomasz Kulas

The offense has a lot of young talent and they have done a better job of surrounding them with strong veterans then in years past. Jesse Rohtla is one of the biggest free-agent additions of the PHL offseason. The talented Finnish center spent the last two seasons with GKS Katowice ranking up 117 points during that time. That is the third-most points by a player in the PHL since the 2017-2018 season. He is the exact player that Jastrzebie needed. Rohtla was not the only major addition from GKS Katowice, as Maciej Urbanowicz joined the team as well. Urbanowicz returned to the team after four seasons away. The power forward is always good for around point per game production and someone younger players would really benefit from having on their wing. Now to the young talent that needs to start producing at high levels. Dominik Jarosz has been quite impressive in pre-season action scoring quite a few goals. The 20-year-old winger had only 15 points last year and did attract some national team attention. Dominik Pas is a great two-way player and strong forechecker. He has had 20 points in each of the past three seasons despite being only 19. Jan Soltys and Kamil Walega are one of the best duos in Polish hockey. The two have produced great numbers on the international stage and in the PHL. Both forwards will be leaders on Poland’s U20 team and should be leaders on Jastrzebie. If young talent produces at high levels this could be one of the most fierce offenses in the PHL.

Defensemen

Jakub Giminski – Henrich Jabornik

Kamil Gorny – Maris Jass 

Arkadiusz Kostek – Grzegorz Radzienciak

Jakub Michalowski – Kordian Chorazyczewski

This defense isn’t exciting but is still above average among PHL squads. Henrich Jabornik was the first new import to the PHL this year and is a pretty interesting player. Jabornik was a highly thought of player in his junior days, he appeared at the U18 IIHF championships and World Juniors for Slovakia. He has played in over 250 Tipsport Liga games, but has spent four years in the Erste Liga as well. There in Hungary, he has shown a lot more recording at least 10 goals and 17 assists in each season. Kamil Gorny is a really solid defensemen and maybe the best Polish defensemen on the roster. Gorny returns to JKH GKS Jastrzebie after a three-year stint with GKS Tychy. Maris Jass will be a fun player to watch this season. The veteran Latvian defensemen has played in 15 different hockey leagues and represented Latvia at plenty of international events. He is not afraid to play physical or rush up the ice. Jass plays an all-around solid game. Grzegorz Radzienciak is one of the best young defensemen in Poland. His defensive skills are ready for professional hockey, but the other end of his game has kinda flatlined since his final junior days. The defense is a lot of like of the offense featuring some strong young talent with the right amount of imports and veterans insulating them.

Goalies

Ondrej Raszka

David Marek

Oskar Prokop

In net JKH GKS Jastrzebie has a three-headed dragon of Czech goaltenders. Ondrej Raszka is the third best goalie in Poland behind Odrobny and Murray. It is a shame that he has yet to play a game for Poland at an IIHF event. He is the youngest of the three though so he has time. Raszka is vital to his team’s success and led the league in save percentage last year. A better team around him offensively should make his job easier. Now the back-up position is a bit odd to me. This offseason, Jastrzebie added young Czech goalie David Marek. Now Marek seemed to have an inconsistent career in the Czech junior leagues and lower Czech pro leagues. As a backup, I’m sure he will be fine. The thing that is odd to me is that the team also has Oskar Prokop. Prokop has a similar story to Raszka. A decent, but somewhat inconsistent career in the Czech Republic before coming over to Poland, and later representing team Poland. Prokop had a rough year last year, he only played 12 total games and was left off the roster for Poland at the U20 World Championships. I don’t know if he was injured or what was the reason for his lack of appearances. This year already Prokop has played two games in the first league, posting strong performances in each match. My guess is the goal is to allow him more playing time, while Marek can take the few times Raszka doesn’t play.

Prediction: 3rd

This team has an above-average offense and defense that is combined with one of the best goaltenders in Poland. Their team as it is should be a contender in the PHL, if young players are ready to start producing and contributing a lot more though this team could be in line for a championship run. That is betting on a lot of players taking big steps in their career.

If you want to keep up with all the news, make sure to follow us on Twitter  @PolandHockey and like our Facebook page.