| Born: | Apr 9, 1981 | Draft: | 1999 Sabres, 35th Overall |
| Hometown: | Trenčín, Czechoslovakia | Position: | Right Wing |
| Known For: | 2012 World Championship Silver Medal | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Slovakia | Current Status: | Retired |
Milan Bartovic (born April 9, 1981) is a former Slovakian ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2005-2006 season. Drafted 35th overall by Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Bartovic excelled under the HK Dukla Trencin program in Slovakia before making his way to North America to play for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). After two seasons, he was assigned to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL). Bartovic was slowly developed, playing the full 2001-02 season in the AHL. He made his debut in 2002-03, appearing in three games and registering one goal.
After four seasons of being used sparingly in the NHL, Bartovic was traded to the Blackhawks for goaltender Michael Leighton. He played half of the season with the Norfolk Admirals and earned 24 games with the Blackhawks, registering one goal and seven points. Following the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, Bartovic became a free agent and without a deal in the NHL, he signed with the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). His return to Europe brought an end to his NHL tenure after just three seasons and 50 games played.
Bartovic spent the next 11 seasons bouncing back and forth between the top Czechia league and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), playing for the likes of Bílí Tygři Liberec, Atlant Mytishchi, and captaining HC Slovan Bratislava for two seasons. For his final two seasons, Bartovic returned home to Slovakia to play for HK Dukla Trencin, his pre-draft club. Bartovic retired at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season, having represented his home country on nine occasions and winning a World Championship silver medal and a IIHF U18 World Championship bronze medal.
Milan Bartovic Statistics
Deeper Dive
Staff History
- HK Dukla Trencin, Slovakia (Assistant Coach) 2022-current
Achievements
- U18 WJC All-Star Team (1999)
- U18 WJC Bronze Medal (1999)
- AHL Player of the Week (Jan. 18, 2004)
- World Championship Silver Medal (2012)
- KHL All-Star Game (2014)
- Czech Extraliga Silver Medal (2017)
