Branko Radivojevič

Branko Radivojevič
Born (1980-11-24) 24 November 1980 (age 43)
Piešťany, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for HK Dukla Trenčín
Phoenix Coyotes
Philadelphia Flyers
Minnesota Wild
Atlant Moscow Oblast
Spartak Moscow
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
Slovan Bratislava
HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
National team  Slovakia
NHL draft 93rd overall, 1999
Colorado Avalanche
Playing career 1998–2019

Branko Radivojevič (Serbian: Бранко Радивојевић / Branko Radivojević; born 24 November 1980) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey forward who began and finished his career playing for HK Dukla Trenčín of the Slovak Extraliga (Slovak). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota Wild. His father Matija, a Bosnian Serb, came to Czechoslovakia during the 1970s as a contractor of a Yugoslavian company. His son, Luka, is also a hockey player who is considered to be one of the top prospects for the 2025 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 1999, Radivojevič signed a 3-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes on June 19, 2001 and played parts of the next three seasons there. Part of a mid-season trade in 2003–04, he was sent to the Philadelphia Flyers along with Sean Burke and the rights to Ben Eager for Mike Comrie. After 2005–06, the Flyers declined to tender him a qualifying offer, thus making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed with the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent on July 6, 2006. After a couple seasons with the Wild, he opted to go to the KHL.[1]

After two years with the Wild, Radivojevič signed with Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[2] In the 2008–09 season Branko established himself as an offensive presence with Spartak, leading the team in scoring with 45 points in 49 games. He was re-signed to a further two-year contract with Spartak on December 23, 2009.[3]

After three seasons with Spartak (during the last one he was the captain of the team) Branko decided to change the team. After some arguments with Spartak's management his contract was terminated and Branko signed with Atlant Moscow Oblast.[4] After spending only one season with Atlant (2011–2012) he returned to Spartak.[2] For 2013-14 season he signed with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, but changed the team during the season for Slovan Bratislava.

In the 2014–15 season, Radivojevic returned to his original hometown club in HK Dukla Trenčín of the Slovak Extraliga. However, after just 12 games he left for the Czech Extraliga, signing for the remainder of the season with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec on October 14, 2014.

Returning for a third stint with Dukla, Radivojevic played the final two seasons of his 21-year career before announcing his retirement upon the conclusion of the 2018–19 season on March 20, 2019.[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1995–96 Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 45 23 32 55 74
1996–97 Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 53 41 38 79 56
1997–98 Dukla Trenčín SVK U20 52 30 31 61 50
1997–98 Dukla Trenčín Slovak 1 0 0 0 2
1998–99 Belleville Bulls OHL 68 20 38 58 61 21 7 17 24 18
1999–2000 Belleville Bulls OHL 59 23 49 72 86 16 5 8 13 32
2000–01 Belleville Bulls OHL 61 34 70 104 77 10 6 10 16 18
2001–02 Springfield Falcons AHL 62 18 21 39 64
2001–02 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 18 4 2 6 4 1 0 0 0 2
2002–03 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 79 12 15 27 63
2003–04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 53 9 14 23 36
2003–04 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 24 1 8 9 36 18 1 1 2 32
2004–05 Vsetínská hokejová ELH 31 7 11 18 114
2004–05 Luleå HF SEL 10 6 4 11 8 4 0 0 0 44
2005–06 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 64 8 6 14 44 5 1 0 1 0
2006–07 Minnesota Wild NHL 82 11 13 24 21 5 0 0 0 2
2007–08 Minnesota Wild NHL 73 7 10 17 48 2 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Spartak Moscow KHL 49 17 26 43 86 6 2 1 3 6
2009–10 Spartak Moscow KHL 56 18 37 55 115 9 0 5 5 33
2010–11 Spartak Moscow KHL 54 7 23 30 51 4 2 3 5 2
2011–12 Atlant Moscow Oblast KHL 43 7 20 27 24 12 5 2 7 10
2012–13 Spartak Moscow KHL 50 4 17 21 23
2013–14 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk KHL 14 2 1 3 2
2013–14 Slovan Bratislava KHL 31 3 5 8 22
2014–15 Dukla Trenčín Slovak 12 5 6 11 0
2014–15 HC Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 37 6 15 21 36
2015–16 HC Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 51 15 26 41 71 14 5 12 17 6
2016–17 HC Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 52 9 24 33 20 16 4 6 10 10
2017–18 Dukla Trenčín Slovak 45 16 29 45 49 17 8 9 17 36
2018–19 Dukla Trenčín Slovak 56 13 30 43 44 4 0 2 2 4
2019–20 Dukla Trenčín Slovak 2 1 0 1 2
NHL totals 393 52 68 120 252 31 2 1 3 36
KHL totals 297 58 129 187 323 31 9 11 20 51

International

Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2012 Helsinki
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Helsinki
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
1998 Slovakia EJC 6th 6 0 0 0 4
2000 Slovakia WJC 9th 7 0 0 0 4
2003 Slovakia WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 9 2 1 3 8
2004 Slovakia WCH 7th 4 0 1 1 2
2007 Slovakia WC 6th 7 2 1 3 6
2009 Slovakia WC 10th 6 0 1 1 4
2010 Slovakia OG 4th 7 0 0 0 6
2011 Slovakia WC 10th 6 0 1 1 6
2012 Slovakia WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 10 4 4 8 2
2013 Slovakia WC 8th 8 3 2 5 2
2014 Slovakia OG 11th 4 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 13 0 0 0 8
Senior totals 61 11 11 22 36

Awards and honours

Award Year
OHL
First All-Star Team 2001
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy 2001
NHL
YoungStars Game 2003
Slovak Extraliga
Playoffs MVP 2018

References

  1. ^ "Wild signs free agent Radivojevic". Minnesota Wild. 6 July 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  2. ^ a b Радивоевич возвращается! (in Russian). HC Spartak Moscow. 2 May 2012. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Spartak extend Radivojevič contract". hockey.cz (in Czech). 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 26 June 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  4. ^ Экс-капитан "Спартака" перебрался в "Атлант" (in Russian). Vesti.RU. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Branko Radivojevic ends professional career" (in Slovak). HK Dukla Trenčín. 20 March 2019. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Winner of the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
2001
Succeeded by