He began and concluded his career with hometown club, HK ŠKP Poprad in the Slovak Extraliga.

[1] He most notably played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers.

[2] Before Bartečko started his career in the NHL he played for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and for the Worcester Ice Cats of the American Hockey League (AHL).

His best year was the 1999–2000 season when he scored 16 goals and 39 points in 67 games and often played on a line with his fellow countrymen Pavol Demitra and Michal Handzuš.

After completing his 21 professional season, with his original club HK ŠKP Poprad in 2015–16, Bartečko announced his retirement from professional hockey and return to North America, in accepting an assistant coaching role in Illinois, with McKendree University Bearcats who compete in the ACHA Division II on August 24, 2016.