Borna Rendulić (, born 25 March 1992) is a Croatian professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
forward who is currently playing for
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk () is a professional ice hockey club based in Magnitogorsk, Russia. It is a member of the Kharlamov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The club also competed in the Champions Hockey League (2008–09), Champion ...
of the
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
(KHL). Rendulić began playing hockey in Croatia and made his professional debut with
KHL Medveščak
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
in 2006, before moving to Finland in 2011 in order to further his career. He played for several teams in both the top-tier
SM-liiga
The Liiga, colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. The league comprises 16 teams from all around Finland with relegation and promotion between the Mest ...
and second-tier
Mestis
Mestis (from , meaning 'Championship series', stylized as MEST1S) is the second-highest men's ice hockey league in Finland. The league was established by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2000 to replace the I-divisioona ('First Division ...
, then moved to North America in 2014 when he signed a contract with the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
of the NHL. Rendulić made his NHL debut that year, the first Croatian-trained player to do so, but spent most of the following two seasons with the Avalanche minor-league affiliates in the AHL. After two seasons spent primarily with the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, he signed with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
, spending a further season in the AHL with their affiliate before returning to Europe. Internationally, Rendulić has played for
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
in several
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
, both at the junior and senior level.
Playing career
As 15-year-old, Rendulić made his professional debut with hometown club,
KHL Medveščak
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
in the
Croatian Ice Hockey League during the
2006–07 season.
He signed for
Ässät in 2008 and played for their U18 team and then their U20 team. On 25 January 2011, he was loaned for the remainder of the
2010–11 season to former club Medveščak, now of the
Austrian Hockey League
The ICE Hockey League (International Central European Hockey League, ICEHL), known as the win2day ICE Hockey League for sponsorship reasons, is a Central European hockey league that also serves as the top-tier ice hockey league in Austria. It c ...
. Rendulić featured in 12 games with Zagreb, collecting a goal and an assist.
Upon returning to Ässät, he finally made his debut for the men's team during the
2011–12 season, playing three games whilst also enduring another loan spell, with
SaPKo
Savonlinnan Pallokerho (SaPKo) is an ice hockey team from Savonlinna, Finland, they currently play in the Suomi-sarja. It plays its home matches at the Talvisalo ice rink.
The sports club Savonlinnan Pallokerho was founded in 1929. First it con ...
in
Mestis
Mestis (from , meaning 'Championship series', stylized as MEST1S) is the second-highest men's ice hockey league in Finland. The league was established by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2000 to replace the I-divisioona ('First Division ...
.
On 8 May 2012, out of contract with Ässät, Rendulić agreed to a try-out contract with fellow Liiga club,
HPK. With a developing, larged-framed body, Rendulić's initial trial with HPK was successful, earning him a one-year contract on 31 August 2012. In the
2012–13 season, Rendulić predominantly played with HPK in a depth forward role to finish with eight goals in 37 games.
Rendulić was signed to a one-year extension and in the following
2013–14 season, he played his first full Liiga season with HPK, establishing a top-nine position to produce career highs of 11 goals and 32 points in 57 games.
On 19 May 2014, Rendulić's successful season earned NHL recognition, and he was subsequently signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
. In signing with the Avalanche, Rendulić became the first Croatian born and trained player to earn an NHL contract. After his first training camp and pre-season in Colorado, Rendulic was assigned to begin the
2014–15 season with Colorado's
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Lake Erie Monsters
A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a depression (geology), basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land an ...
. On 9 December 2014, he received his first NHL recall by the injury-hit Avalanche. He became the first Croatian born and trained player to play in the NHL, playing on the Avalanche's fourth-line in a 3–0 defeat to the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
. Immediately after his second recall to the Avalanche, Rendulić scored his first NHL goal in his fourth game on 31 December 2014, against
Steve Mason of the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
. However a broken
shinbone
The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the t ...
limited Rendulić to 11 games in the NHL and 26 in the AHL.
On June 27, 2016, having completed his entry-level deal Rendulić's NHL rights were not retained by the Avalanche. Subsequently, on July 1, 2016, it was announced that Rendulic had signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks. He made his debut for the Canucks on February 28 in a game against the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
. He was a late addition to the lineup, replacing
Jannik Hansen
Jannik Hansen (born 15 March 1986) is a Danish former professional ice hockey right winger. Hansen began playing professionally at the age of 16 with both the Rødovre Mighty Bulls of the Danish league and the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish ...
who was traded to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
later that night.
As a free agent from the Canucks, Rendulić opted to return to Europe in securing a one-year deal with Finnish Liiga club,
Lahti Pelicans
The Lahti Pelicans are a Finnish professional ice hockey team playing in the Liiga, Finland. Founded in 1996, they play in the city of Lahti at Isku Arena. The team is co-owned by (among others) former National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender Pasi ...
, on August 11, 2017. In his return to the Liiga after three years, he scored 5 goals in the opening 14 games of the
2017–18 season. Rendulić then opted to leave the Liiga prematurely in order to sign with Russian outfit,
HC Vityaz
Hockey Club Vityaz Moscow Region () is a professional ice hockey club based in Balashikha, Russia. It is a member of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). In the first few seasons of the KHL, the team was widely known for pl ...
of the KHL, on October 18, 2017.
Productive throughout his tenure with HC Vityaz, Rendulić left as a free agent following the
2018–19 season, posting 13 goals and 23 points in 59 games. On June 3, 2019, Rendulić continued his European career by agreeing to a one-year contract with German Champions, Adler Mannheim of the DEL.
Following a year stint in the
Swedish Hockey League
The Swedish Hockey League (SHL; ) is a professional ice hockey league in Sweden and the highest level of the ice hockey in Sweden, Swedish ice hockey system. The league currently consists of 14 teams. The league was founded in 1975, and while Li ...
(SHL) with
Örebro HK
Örebro Hockeyklubb, commonly referred to as Örebro HK or Örebro Hockey, (formerly ''HC Örebro 90'') is a Swedish professional ice hockey club located in Örebro. The team is currently playing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL; formerly Elitse ...
in the
2020–21 season, Rendulić returned to previous club, Adler Mannheim of the DEL, signing a two-year contract on June 2, 2021.
At the completion of his contract with Adler Mannheim, Rendulić returned for a second stint in the KHL, joining Russian club
HC Sochi
Hockey Club Sochi () is a professional ice hockey club based in Sochi, Russia. It is a member of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The club joined the KHL in the 2014–15 KHL season, 2014–15 season.
History
On May 2 ...
as a free agent on a one-year contract on 31 May 2023. In the
2023–24 season, Rendulić made just 16 appearances with Sochi, leading the team with 15 points before he was traded to contending club,
SKA Saint Petersburg
Hockey Club SKA (), often referred to as SKA Saint Petersburg and literally as the Sports Club of the Army, is a professional ice hockey club based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is a member of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey Le ...
, in exchange for
Marat Khusnutdinov on 10 October 2023.
During the
2024–25 season, in the midst of his second season with SKA, Rendulić was traded to Metallurg Magnitogorsk in exchange for
Pavel Akolzin on 23 December 2024.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rendulic, Borna
1992 births
Adler Mannheim players
Porin Ässät (men's ice hockey) players
Colorado Avalanche players
Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Finland
Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
Croatian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Croatian ice hockey right wingers
Croatian expatriate ice hockey people
HPK players
Lahti Pelicans players
Lake Erie Monsters players
Living people
Metallurg Magnitogorsk players
Örebro HK players
San Antonio Rampage players
SaPKo players
SKA Saint Petersburg players
HC Sochi players
Sportspeople from Zagreb
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Utica Comets players
Vancouver Canucks players
HC Vityaz players
Expatriate ice hockey players in Germany