| Born: | Oct 25, 1969 | Draft: | 1989 Oilers, 78th Overall |
| Hometown: | Litvínov, Czechoslovakia | Position: | Centre |
| Known For: | 5x Czech Extraliga Champion | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Czechia | Current Status: | Retired |
Josef Beranek (born October 25, 1969) is a former Czech ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2000-2001 season. Drafted 78th overall by Edmonton Oilers in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Beranek was a stand-out player in the Czech league, remained in his homeland country for two more seasons. After stints with HK Dukla Trencin and HC Litvínov, he made his debut with the Oilers in the 1991-92 season, registering 12 goals and 28 points in 58 games. The following year, Beranek failed to maintain a spot with the club, and was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers after 26 games, along with Greg Hawgood, for defenseman Brian Benning.
Beranek played in 25 games with the Flyers following the trade, and appeared to find his stride offensively. He registered 28 goals and 49 points in 80 games, setting career highs, and finishing top-five in goal-scoring on the team. He was the perfect complimentary piece the Flyers needed to bolster their scoring that held names like Mark Recchi, Rod Brind’Amour, and Eric Lindros. Unfortunately, the following year was split between playing in the Czechia league and after 14 games, the Flyers opted to trade him to the Vancouver Canucks for tough-guy Shawn Antoski.
Beranek’s NHL career took a slight downfall as he went back and forth between the Czechia league and the NHL, playing time with the Canucks, Penguins, and a brief return to the Oilers organization. He matched his career-high 49 points during the 1998-99 season while in Edmonton, but failed to hold a spot with the club the following year. After one season with the Penguins, Beranek returned to Czechia, where he played for HC Slavia Praha, captaining the team to six medal finishes and two Czech Extraliga Championships.
Josef Beranek Statistics
Trade Tracker
| Date | Traded From | Traded With | Traded To | Traded For |
| Jan. 16, 1993 |  | Greg Hawgood |  | Brain Benning |
| Feb. 15, 1995 | |  | Shawn Antoski | |
| Mar. 18, 1997 | |  | Future Considerations | |
| June 16, 1998 | | | Bobby Dollas Tony Hrkac | |
| Mar. 14, 2000 | | | German Titov |
Deeper Dive
Staff History
- HC Slavia Praha U20, Czechia U20 (Assistant Coach) 2010-2011
- HC Slavia Praha U20, Czechia U20 (Head Coach) 2011-2013
- HC Slavia Praha, Czechia (Assistant Coach) 2011-2013, 2014-2015
- HC Slavia Praha U16, Czechia U16 (Head Coach) 2013-2014
- HC Most, Czechia2 (Head Coach) 2015-2016
- HC Slavia Praha U18, Czechia U18 (Head Coach) 2017-2018
- HC Litvínov, Czechia (Sports Manager) 2018-2020
Achievements
- U20 WJC Bronze Medal (1989)
- U20 WJC Most Assists (9) (1989)
- 2x World Championship Bronze Medal (1993, 1998)
- 5x Czech Extraliga Champion (1995, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2008)
- European Hockey League (EHL) Final Four All-Star Team (1998)
- Olympic Gold Medal (1998)
- 2x Czech Extraliga Most Assists (2004, 2006)
- Czech Extraliga Most Points (63) (2004)
- Czech Extraliga Playoffs Most Assists (11) (2004)
- Czech Extraliga Playoffs Most Points (18) (2004)
- 2x Czech Extraliga Silver Medal (2004, 2006)
- 2x Czech Extraliga Bronze Medal (2010, 2013)