Andrew Radjenovic is relatively young in his professional hockey career.  In fact, in only his third season playing in the ECHL, he recently received an invitation to play in the 2019 ECHL All-Star Classic in Toledo, OH.  Despite the success he has found on the ice with the Rapid City Rush this season and throughout his University career before that, Radjenovic understands that a pro career will not last forever, and his focus on building towards a post hockey career while he is still playing can serve as an important example for other players.

The 27-year old center from Hamilton, Ontario is enjoying a breakout season in 2018-19 posting 34 points in 40 games with the Rush before recently signing with HC Dukla Trencin in Slovakia. Prior to turning pro, Radjenovic played college hockey for Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario while pursuing a major in Social Sciences.  The opportunity to play for Brock appealed to him as it was close to home, and also reunited him with a former coach Mike MacDonald, who was an Assistant Coach with Brock. MacDonald helped make the transition much easier for Radjenovic and was also a big influence on him playing in Cincinnati following his U-Sports career.  

Radjenovic put up three solid seasons with the Badgers and was named an Assistant Captain in his third season in 2014-15, which he says allowed him to develop into a leader both on and off the ice, and someone the younger players could look up to.  Following that season, his coach Murray Nystrom came to him with an opportunity to pursue professional hockey, an offer that Radjenovic said he will be forever grateful.

He signed with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL for the remainder of that season where he recorded 8 points in 22 games. Radjenovic credits that first season in Bakersfield with learning how to adjust to life as a professional hockey player both on and off the ice, whether stretching more before and after games or paying more attention to diet on specific days.

After his season with Bakersfield in 2015, Radjenovic wanted to return to Brock for his fourth and final year of eligibility, but was given bad news. “Because I played pro games I couldn’t just go back to school and resume playing, so I had to red shirt and sit out a year to be eligible for the next season along with being enrolled in classes at Brock.”

He spent a year playing for the Stoney Creek Generals of the Allan Cup Hockey League (ACH), which allowed him to continue playing competitive hockey while taking classes at Brock. Radjenovic dominated the league, finishing second in league scoring with 47 points in 23 games.

In the fall of 2016, Radjenovic was once again eligible to play for Brock where he closed out his senior year with 31 points in 25 games.  He credits a lot of his success today to his years spent at Brock and still shares fond memories from that time.

“The city of St. Catharines, the Niagara region, my teammates were all part of my time that made it so enjoyable for me,” said Radjenovic.  “One of my favourite memories at Brock was the annual Steelblade Classic, a homecoming game against Guelph.  We won that game 4-3, but it was the crowd of over 3,500 that filled the Meridian Centre and made the electric atmosphere and memory that much more special.”

Radjenovic returned to the ECHL the next year in 2017-18, with stops in Cincinnati and Adirondack before finding a home with the Rapid City Rush. The transition of being traded from team to team is not easy, a difficulty that Radjenovic emphasized. “Making new friendships then leaving, learning new systems, long hours driving are all aspects that can be mentally challenging.  But you get better because you went through those experiences.”

The long season is another aspect that he had to quickly become accustom to. U-Sports has a 28-game season, while the ECHL is 72 games. “You get used to the Friday – Saturday games, now I see a lot of stretches where we could play five games in six days.  You have to learn to adjust.”

Playing in his second season with the Rush, Radjenovic sat first on his team in goals and points heading into the All-Star break.  His All-Star selection is a reflection on his successful season thus far, but he will not take all the credit.  “I was very honored to be recognized, but I have to give a lot of credit to the people around me.  My teammates, coaches, management and staff made me feel comfortable and confident since day one which has allowed me to excel.”

Rapid City is one of few ECHL teams with no American Hockey League or NHL affiliate, so they do not have the constant shuffling of players like most teams. “We all live in the same building so we’re together which is nice and builds our chemistry.” The three-storey apartment complex allows the team to further connect and enjoy their hobbies together.  “A lot of Netflix, Fortnite, and cooking. You eat out so much on the road it’s nice to make your own meals once in a while.”

Even as Radjenovic is enjoying a breakout season in his young career, he understands that one day, like all players, he’ll have to make the transition to a post hockey career.  Finishing school is a priority and he has just a couple more classes to finish before he can officially graduate. It was Radjenovic who reached out to Steve Carney, Coordinator of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) Career Enhancement Program, about taking online classes during the hockey season to help achieve this goal.

The PHPA CEP offers a wide selection of programs to help players successfully transition into a post hockey career. Radjenovic pointed out the success the PHPA Firefighting program (FESTI) has had thus far, a program that allows players to earn their North American certification towards becoming a firefighter while still playing hockey.  The PHPA offers numerous other resources for both current and former players to aid in this transition such as an Alumni Network and mentorship programs. Radjenovic applauds the PHPA for setting programs in place so that players like himself can get an education to set them up for a career after hockey.

Programs such as these have grown over time thanks to the support of quality PHPA Player Representatives who represent their teammates by serving as a liaison between the team and PHPA. For the Rush, that is veteran defenseman and team Captain Riley Weselowski who was also elected by his peers to serve on the PHPA Executive Committee. Radjenovic spoke to the influence Weselowski has had on his career, both on and off the ice. “He’s always looking out for the boys,” referring to his influence on caring for his fellow teammates and working with the PHPA to create opportunities for all players. “Riley has helped me become a better pro I think and also become a better leader. He is very well respected in the dressing room and is truly one of the better guys in the game, on and off the ice. He’s always willing to help guys get better; it’s like having an extra coach on your team.”

While Radjenovic looks ahead to many more years in professional hockey, he knows he’s helping set himself up to work in any number of fields following his on-ice career and hopes other players take advantage of the resources available to them like he did.