In my humble opinion, one of the best aspects of covering IIHF tournaments is stumbling across players you’ve never heard of and the stories associated with them.

Kristóf Papp is an 18-year-old forward from Hungary who has been playing hockey in the USA junior system since 2014.

Having represented his nation at the junior level since 2017, Papp made his full international debut during the recent Olympic qualifying tournament hosted in Nottingham, England in February 2020.

Was he overawed by the experience?
Certainly not, as the centreman did not look out of place during what was his first time playing alongside and against men.

In Hungary’s second game of the tournament, Papp registered his first-ever point and it proved crucial. Papp’s goal was just two of three netted by his nation against Romania in a narrow overtime victory.

The rookie forward wore a wide smile after the game when talking me through his first goal – “It took a weird bounce, but I took the pass from Sofron [Istvan], the goaltender stacked his pad so I took it wide and found the back of the net.”

The difference between junior and playing against men for the first time?

“The ice sheet and the speed is similar, but the strength and the way players think is like the next level.
The coach told me to play my game, just treat it like hockey, don’t look at it as older men. We are all one team and try to contribute if you can.”

“This tournament is a great opportunity and I’m super thankful to be here with these older guys. I grew up watching them [Hungary National team] so it’s an unbelievable experience being here.”

The 18-year-old was playing just his second year in the USHL during the 2019-20 campaign when he was traded from Madison Capitols to Des Moines Buccaneers.
It speaks to his character that he was captaining the Capitols during his second full year in the league and he was certainly leading the way with nineteen points (10-9-19) through twenty-one games.

I asked Papp about the trade and how he’s adapted to new surroundings.

“It’s been great, the new team took me in well and I’ve got a good position there. I am playing a good amount, playing power-play and getting good opportunities. So far I’ve adapted to the new team and it’s going pretty well.”

So well in fact that the Hungarian centre man contributed six goals and ten assists through twenty-three outings for the Buccaneers in the midst of adjusting to playing in Des Moines.

On November 20, 2019, Papp committed to Michigan State University for the 2020-21 campaign and is raring to go. “I’m super pumped. I can’t even wait for next year, so excited.”

That’s not to say he is resting on his laurels, however.
“I need to get stronger overall in the summer, build some muscle, some weight and work on my shot too.”

So is playing at the very top level the ultimate goal for this young man?

“Obviously, it’s the dream [to be drafted into the NHL], it’s a lot of peoples dreams. You know if it happens, great, I’ve still got to make the team (Minnesota) and everything but if it doesn’t, I just got to keep working and there’s another year.”

Papp has been rated a ‘C’ skater by NHL Central Scouting for the 2020 NHL draft at #125 overall and certainly, needs to fight the odds when it comes to Hungarian players being drafted into the NHL, let alone taking the ice on the big stage.
Just eight players from Hungary have been selected in the NHL entry drafts during the last thirty years and only one of those got to suit up in the show.

1990: Frank Kovacs (F) #71 Minnesota North Stars
1993: Frank Banham (F) #147 Washington Capitals
1999: Tamas Gröschl (F) #256 Edmonton Oilers
2000: Levente Szuper (G) #116 Calgary Flames
2000: Nathan Martz (F) #140 New York Rangers
2002: János Vas (F) #32 Dallas Stars
2004: Andrew Sarauer (F) #125 Vancouver Canucks
2006: Jesse Dudas (D) #159 Columbus Blue Jackets

It’s not János Vas who was selected 32nd overall by Dallas, though he did play three years in the AHL.

Canadian-born Frank Banham played junior hockey in the WHL before going on to feature in thirty-two NHL games throughout four seasons for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Phoenix Coyotes.

So it’s quite a sizeable task for Papp but he’s a young man who doesn’t seem to allow anything phase him as he showed playing in a huge international tournament for the first time against men in Nottingham.

The Michigan State Spartans will hope their recruit will be able to continue his upward curve through the ranks and produce offensively as he has previously in junior hockey.

MSU quote: “Highly-skilled center … Very good skater with excellent feet and edges … Has been an offensive producer at every level … His high-compete level allows him to create space and use his skill.”