Branko Radivojevič ( / ; born 24 November 1980) is a Slovak former 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 began and finished his career playing for

HK Dukla Trenčín Hokejový Klub Dukla Trenčín is a professional Slovak ice hockey club based in Trenčín, playing in the Slovak Extraliga. The club has won three Slovak league championships (1994, 1997, 2004) and one Czechoslovak league championship (1992). Th ...

of the

Slovak Extraliga The Slovak Extraliga, known as the Tipsport liga since the 2025–26 season for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. From 2018–19 to 2020–21, the league included one or two teams from Hungary. Teams fro ...

(Slovak). He played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL) with the

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...

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 ...

and

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...

. His father Matija, a

Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби Босне и Херцеговине, Srbi Bosne i Hercegovine), often referred to as Bosnian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, босански Срби, bosanski Srbi) or Herzegovinian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, � ...

, came to

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

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 The 2025 NHL entry draft will be the 63rd entry draft for the National Hockey League. The draft is expected to be held on June 27 and June 28, 2025, and will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The New York Islanders hold the fir ...

Playing career

Drafted by 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 ...

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, Radivojevič signed a 3-year deal with the

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

along with

Sean Burke Sean Burke (born January 29, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and the current director of goaltending for the Vegas Golden Knights, with whom he won the Stanley Cup with in 2023. He played 18 seasons in the National H ...

and the rights to

Ben Eager Benjamin Arthur Eager (born January 22, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. Playing career Eager was drafted in the first round, 23rd overall, by the Phoenix Coyo ...

for

Mike Comrie Michael William Comrie (born September 11, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Center (ice hockey), player. During his 13-year National Hockey League (NHL) career he played with the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Co ...

. After 2005–06, the Flyers declined to tender him a qualifying offer, thus making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed with the

as an unrestricted free agent on July 6, 2006. After a couple seasons with the Wild, he opted to go to the KHL. After two years with the Wild, Radivojevič signed with

Spartak Moscow Spartak Moscow may refer to the following teams based or formerly based in Moscow, Russia: * FC Spartak Moscow, an association football club * HC Spartak Moscow, a professional ice hockey team * Spartak GM Moscow, a semi-professional rugby club * ...

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). 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. 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 Hockey Club Atlant Moscow Oblast (, ) was a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast. They were members of the Bobrov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League in the 2014–15 season, but have not been active si ...

. After spending only one season with Atlant (2011–2012) he returned to Spartak. 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

of the

. 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.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Radivojevic, Branko 1980 births Living people Belleville Bulls players Colorado Avalanche draft picks Atlant Moscow Oblast players HC Bílí Tygři Liberec players HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players HC Slovan Bratislava players HC Spartak Moscow players Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics Luleå HF players Minnesota Wild players Olympic ice hockey players for Slovakia Sportspeople from Piešťany Ice hockey people from the Trnava Region Philadelphia Flyers players Phoenix Coyotes players Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Russia Slovak ice hockey right wingers Slovak people of Serbian descent Springfield Falcons players VHK Vsetín players Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in the Czech Republic Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Sweden Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in the United States 21st-century Slovak sportsmen