The Hungarian U20 National team opens the World Championships against Poland, a team that was relegated from the Division 1/A group where as Hungary is the one that made the jump up one level. On paper this is the top ranked Poland playing the lowest ranked Hungarian team.
Poland much like Hungary have been trying to reach the next level of hockey with their respective senior teams and this has worked its way down to the U20 and U18 levels. This two squads will not be completely unfamiliar with each other since there will be a number of players who were on last years U18 teams that faced off against each other at the Div 1/B world championships last year in Székesfehérvár.
Poland will be coached by Torbjörn Johansson who is in his first year with the Polish federation, he is also the assistant coach of the senior team.
Goaltender Michal Kieler who was the back up on last years squad is back and looks to be the starting goalie for the team, he did not play a single minute during last years tournament, Kieler has yet to play in a senior game this season with his club team.
On defence the team looks to only have back two players from last season, Remigiusz Gazda and Marcin Horzelski, with Oscar Jaskewiecz being the only defenceman that plays regularly at the top level in Poland. The Polish defenders are not very big as the tallest player in camp for them is 186 cm.
Among the forwards there looks to be six players back from the 2014 World Championship roster. The goal scoring will be expected to come from Bartosz Fraszko and Patryk Wronka who have been scoring regualry inthe Polish top flight.
The Polish roster and coaching staff can be found here.