Tag: Ida Talanda

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. 

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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.

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

2020 Top 30 Women’s U20 Players. #14-10

While this is not the time when I initially wanted to start this list, as I was hoping to have the Women’s World Championships to help distinguish some players at the top of the list. The coronavirus outbreak has effectively canceled or postponed all tournaments for the year.

This really is a bummer for Polish hockey with the amount of young talent they have at their disposal. It definitely seemed liked Poland had a chance to earn promotion at this year’s senior world championship. Women’s hockey in Poland is vastly on the rise with more players each year and a quick ability to develop players that are able to compete outside of Poland in stronger leagues. The talent pool has evolved so quickly that we have doubled our list size from last year. There is still a tremendous amount of work to be done, but the future is bright. Today we continue our 2020 ranking of the top 30 U20 Women’s players in Poland.

A player has to be 20 or younger on March 13th, 2020. There is no minimum age to make the list. Players are judged based on a combination of career history, current play, and potential.

Players #30-20

Players #19-15

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

14 – Malgorzata Synowiec (F), 20, KS Cracovia 1906, (Unranked)

Synowiec has steadily continued to improve her game. She appears to be on the brink of making her senior IIHF national team debut, as she has played two games with the Silesia Brackens and played in a couple non-IIHF games for the senior team. This year Snyowiec did not appear in the PLHK A, and instead went to the B league to play for Cracovia. There she had 26 points (18-8-26) in 8 games. This was third in the league for points, and the top in points per game. She is also an accomplished ice cross athlete.

13 – Ida Talanda (RW), 17, KH Polonia Bytom, (15, +2)

The first player rise in our ranking this year is Ida Talanda. Talanda made her senior debut in the PLHK A this year and put up a very promising rookie year. She recorded 15 points (6-9-15) in 16 games. That is top 20 in the league. That performance helped Polonia Bytom to their first-place finish. At the U18s, she showed a lot of promise as well and recorded three shots. She will be a key part of the U18 squad next year.

12 – Alicja Siejka (F), 20, GKS Stoczniowiec Gdańsk, (13, +1)

Siejka was a standout for Poland at the 2018 U18s leading the team in points. She followed that up with her senior IIHF debut and posted a career year in the PLHK A. This year she improved on that year again for Gdańsk, recording 26 points (14-12-15) in 16 games. She also appeared in two games for the Silesia Brackens. Siejka is a key forward that should help strengthen Poland’s forward group.

11 – Vanessa Patla (D), 18, KH Polonia Bytom, (Unranked)

Patla was one of the best defensemen for Poland at the U18s. She recorded one goal on eight shots. Patla also had a solid year for Polonia Bytom recording 1 goal and 5 assists in 18 games. The promising defensemen also got one game in the Elite Women’s Hockey League. She was impressive at both ends of the ice this season. Poland already had a few solid defensemen and prospects like Patla further show how strong this group is becoming.

10 – Maja Błaszków (F), 17, KH Polonia Bytom, (11, +1)

Błaszków was named to her third straight U18 squad. In five games, she recorded one goal on eight shots. She continues her steady improvement and is easily one of the top forwards under 18 forwards for Poland. Her jumps have not mirrored many of her counterparts in size. While many players have grown so quickly they have been able to achieve great success at the senior level, Błaszków only played two senior games in the PLHK A. She remains a strong and dangerous forward.

Players #9-7

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