Staff

Row brings with him an impressive playing résumé that spans some of the most respected development pathways in North American hockey. He spent two years at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, one of the premier prep programs in the United States, before advancing to junior hockey with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL.

He continued his junior career in the NAHL, splitting time between the Cleveland Barons and the Texas Tornado, where he developed a reputation as a reliable and competitive presence on the ice.

Row went on to compete at the NCAA Division I level, playing at Brown University, combining high-level academics with elite hockey competition. Following his collegiate career, he played five years professionally with stints in the SPHL, CHL, the IHL and a final season in the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL), gaining valuable experience in the European game.

Row will be able to share those experiences with players as they arrive and take the ice in Lodz.

Igor Tumchenko was shaped by one of hockey's great development cities, and he calls Poland home. A Polish citizen born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tumchenko joins the Legion as Assistant Coach. 

He came up through the Spartak St. Petersburg youth system and quickly became a standout. As captain of Varyagi im. Morozova U16 in 2014–15, he put up 60 points (19G, 41A) in 36 games and earned a loan to SKA St. Petersburg for the Russia U16 Finals. His play put him on the national radar. He represented Russia at the 2016 U17 4-Nations Tournament, was named to Russia's extended U18 roster, and was selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2016 KHL Draft by Metallurg Novokuznetsk. A left-shooting two-way center, Tumchenko played two seasons in the MHL with Irbis Kazan before stepping into the pro ranks with Molot-Prikamie Perm of the VHL, Russia's second-tier professional league, in 2018–19. 

He brings to Łódź the habits, structure, and competitive standards of an elite development system, along with a personal stake in growing the game in Poland.

Sergei Smolenko joins the Łódź Legion as goaltending coach. A veteran coach and goaltending specialist from Ukraine, he began his coaching career with youth and junior teams in Ukraine, then spent roughly a decade coaching in the United Kingdom, most notably as head coach of the Lee Valley Lions of the English National Ice Hockey League, starting in the 2006–07 season.

Smolenko has worked extensively as a goaltending and youth development coach, including with the Berkut youth program and other regional junior programs, and has run international goaltending camps.

He brings decades of coaching experience across Ukraine, the UK and Eastern Europe to the Legion's crease.

Lana Matthews knows what it takes to perform at a championship level, because she has done it.

A native of Sturgeon County, Alberta, Matthews grew up in a volleyball family. Her father was a Paralympic athlete and world champion in the sport, and she picked up the game at age 10. She went on to build one of the most decorated collegiate careers in Canadian college volleyball.

After two seasons with the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves, Matthews transferred to Lakeland College in 2022 and became a cornerstone of the Rustlers' dynasty. Lakeland won three straight CCAA national championships with Matthews on the left side, capped by a perfect 25-0 season in 2024–25. She was named CCAA National Championship Tournament MVP, earned All-Conference honours three times, and finished her career among Lakeland's all-time leaders in kills and aces.

She then took her game to Europe, signing professionally with Lunds VK in Sweden for the 2025–26 season, where she finished among the league's top 10 in kills.

Matthews studied kinesiology at university and brings that training, along with years of experience at the elite and professional levels, to the Legion. She understands the physical demands of high-performance sport, what it takes to stay healthy through a long season, and the adjustment North American athletes face when they come to play in Europe.

Witamy w Legionie, Lana. Welcome to the Legion.

Arek Witczak joins the Łódź Legion as equipment manager, bringing a lifetime in Łódź hockey with him. Born in Zgierz and raised in the Łódź hockey system, Witczak played his entire career with the city’s clubs, including five seasons in the third tier of Polish hockey and four more with ŁKH Łódź in the Młodzieżowa Hokej Liga, Poland’s second tier.

He was still suiting up for ŁKH at age 50, playing every game of the 2022–23 season in a league built for players less than half his age, a feat Polish hockey media called a rarity.

Witczak now brings that same durability, and decades of knowledge of the local game, to the Legion’s dressing room.