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.
| Branko Radivojevič | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
24 November 1980 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 | ||
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 | ||
 |
2012 Helsinki | |
 |
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 | 
|
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 | 
|
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
- ^ "Wild signs free agent Radivojevic". Minnesota Wild. 6 July 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
- ^ a b Радивоевич возвращается! (in Russian). HC Spartak Moscow. 2 May 2012. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ "Spartak extend Radivojevič contract". hockey.cz (in Czech). 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 26 June 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
- ^ Экс-капитан "Спартака" перебрался в "Атлант" (in Russian). Vesti.RU. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ "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.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Branko Radivojevič at Olympedia (archive)
- Branko Radivojevič at Olympics.com
- Branko Radivojevič at Olympic.sk (in Slovak)
