BIOGRAPHY

Hejduk was drafted 87th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 4th round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Before he left for the NHL, he played in Pardubice, where he returned during the 2004–05 NHL lockout.

Milan joined HC Pardubice in the Czech Extraliga in 1993–94 and won Rookie of the Year honors with nine points in 22 games. After improving to 11 goals in 1994–95, Milan improved to 13 markers in 1995–96. In 1996–97, Milan set a personal Extraliga high with 27 goals in 51 games. In 1997–98, Milan scored 26 goals and a personal best 45 Extraliga points.

He won the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal scorer when he landed 50 goals for the Avalanche in the 2002–03 season. Hejduk scored a goal against the Calgary Flames in a 3–0 win for the Avalanche on 12 March 2006, putting him equal with Peter Forsberg in sixth place on the all-time Avalanche franchise goal scoring list with 216 goals. He won a Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche.

Hejduk scored his 300th goal alongside Ryan Smyth on January 18th against the Calgary Flames in a 6-2 victory at the Pepsi Center. Hejduk has been selected to play in three NHL All-Star Games. And in 2009, he was selected as the only Avalanche player in the All-Star Lineup for the 57th All-Star Game. He got a goal and two assists in an 11 to 12 shootout loss to the Eastern Conference.