NHL players of Yugoslavian descent

wings5

Registered User
Jan 6, 2008
7,443
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NHL players and prospects of Ex-Yugoslav descent

I'm just curious as I don't really see them represented as much in hockey. I'm close to many Serbs and the consensus is they seem to not care much about the sport the majority will grow up playing basketball or soccer, or in other cases tennis, volleyball etc. There's obviously Lucic and Alex Petrovic of Florida has good potential too. Are there any other current players/ promosing upcoming prospects from the Balkans? ( Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia etc )
 

skeena1

Registered User
May 15, 2006
1,242
156
Ivan Boldirev was born in Zrenjanin, in what was then Yugoslavia. Now its in Serbia. 866 points in 1052 games.
 
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Swervin81

Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
Nov 10, 2011
36,452
1,526
Seattle, WA
Mayor Bee probably has them all memorized. :sarcasm: All kidding aside, my parents are both Croatian, so I come from a family that has deep roots in Croatia. Hell, a first cousin of mine owns a hotel in Herzegovina. I'm really glad to see how ice hockey has grown back home, culminating in Medveščak Zagreb becoming a KHL team.

Anyways, let's see what I can remember. I know that Kopitar is Slovenian. Joe Sakic is of Croatian descent, as is Vlasic. Lucic is of Serbian descent. Stamkos is of Macedonian descent, unless I'm mistaken. I also remember John Kordic (Croatian) with the Leafs. Man, what a horrible player. Frank Mahovlich is also of Croatian descent, and he was one of the greatest Leafs of all-time and had his number put up in the rafters here some ~15 years ago.
 

wings5

Registered User
Jan 6, 2008
7,443
931
How about upcoming propects? I know there is Jack Roslovic of USNTDP u17 team not sure or his origins and Alex Nedeljkovic of Plymouth and Zach Bratina of North Bay both have surnames of people from the Balkans area.
 

crobro

Registered User
Aug 8, 2008
3,873
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Croatian 16 year old playing in Finland this year Fran gjoni , some saying as good if not better at 16 then borna rendulic .

Bo horvat is croatian
John kordic is Croat
Tie domi is Kosovo Albanian
Willie Mitchell Croat mothers side.
Raffi Torres Serbian/Chilean
 

Urbanskog

Platinum Member
Feb 8, 2014
3,551
765
Helsinki
Croatian 16 year old playing in Finland this year Fran gjoni , some saying as good if not better at 16 then borna rendulic .

Bo horvat is croatian
John kordic is Croat
Tie domi is Kosovo Albanian
Willie Mitchell Croat mothers side.
Raffi Torres Serbian/Chilean

You mean 17-year-old?
 

crobro

Registered User
Aug 8, 2008
3,873
720
You mean 17-year-old?

Sure ok 17 years old, has potential to be first born and bred croatian to be drafted by an NHL club.

Also croatian goalie vasim rosandic is getting some hype after his display at the world under 18s

Croatia- slovenia- Austria are almost fully integrated minor hockey wise,more games, better competition, better players .
 

colman

Registered User
Jul 7, 2006
348
0
Croatian 16 year old playing in Finland this year Fran gjoni , some saying as good if not better at 16 then borna rendulic .

Bo horvat is croatian
John kordic is Croat
Tie domi is Kosovo Albanian
Willie Mitchell Croat mothers side.
Raffi Torres Serbian/Chilean
Mike Marcou and James Marcou both Croations
 

Zagadka

Registered User
Aug 31, 2013
2
0
I'm just curious as I don't really see them represented as much in hockey. I'm close to many Serbs and the consensus is they seem to not care much about the sport the majority will grow up playing basketball or soccer, or in other cases tennis, volleyball etc. There's obviously Lucic and Alex Petrovic of Florida has good potential too. Are there any other current players/ promosing upcoming prospects from the Balkans? ( Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia etc )
Milan Lucic is the child of Serbia parents, who had emigrated separately to Canada and met at a Serbian function in Vancouver. Lucic's uncle (maternal side) played in the NHL.
 

VanIslander

A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Sep 4, 2004
35,133
6,428
Joe Sakic's first language is from there. Croatian? Something like that. I saw an interview where his quiet, understated leadership role was attributed to his late start in English in Burnaby, B.C. due to the foreign tongue in the home.
 
Jul 10, 2003
13,937
1,067
KW
Croatian 16 year old playing in Finland this year Fran gjoni , some saying as good if not better at 16 then borna rendulic .

Bo horvat is croatian
John kordic is Croat
Tie domi is Kosovo Albanian
Willie Mitchell Croat mothers side.
Raffi Torres Serbian/Chilean

I've read that Horvat is Albanian, and Kordic Croat/Native.
 

vanarchy

May 3, 2013
9,100
8,355
Croatian 16 year old playing in Finland this year Fran gjoni , some saying as good if not better at 16 then borna rendulic .

Bo horvat is croatian
John kordic is Croat
Tie domi is Kosovo Albanian
Willie Mitchell Croat mothers side.
Raffi Torres Serbian/Chilean

Gjoni is a very common Albanian surname. Not that that changes that he was born in Croatia but just FYI. And Domi is Macedonian Albanian not Kosovar Albanian.

Gjoni is an Albanian Roman Catholic surname, derived from the name John. It is a clan in the regions of Lezhe, Shkodra (northern Albania) and Ulqin (Montenegro).
 
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