Shakir ONeal
Jimmy Hughes
- Sep 21, 2017
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I’m convinced we would have at least another cup since 03 with you gentlemen drafting at the helm of the Devils
Prospect Info: 2024 25 Devils DRAFT Thread
- Thread starter StevenToddIves
- Start date
2025 Draft Profile:
RD Radim Mrtka, Seattle WHL
In a 2025 draft class is fraught with risk, Radim Mrtka might be the safest pick in the draft taken outside the top 2 overall. He's a 6'6-205 behemoth at the always-coveted position of RD who has clear potential to be a shut-down stud on the defensive side of the puck while also chipping in to a productive degree on the offensive side of the puck. He's really without any alarming weaknesses and he's a high character player who, by all indications, is only going to get stronger and better with time.
The first thing certain to get one's attention is the young Czechia native's rare and highly coveted combination of size and skating. Though not an elite skater, Mrtka is certain ly a good and mobile defenseman for a player of any size. His stops and starts and edge-work is better than that of most young men of his immense size, and his long, powerful strides give him a separation gear in open ice.
Defensively, Mrtka is simply dominant at the WHL level. What strikes scouts watching him is that he is more of a cerebral defenseman than simply a kid to overly rely on his huge, powerful frame. His gaps and positioning are excellent, his head is always on a swivel and he excels in anticipating his defensive responsibilities. He's a smart kid who plays with high level compete. In board and net-front battles he's unbeatable at the junior levels, and he's just going to get stronger and add more core strength. His physicality is more functional than aggressive -- he's terrific at using body-positioning and shoulder-checks to separate opposing puck carriers from pucks, and once Mrtka gains possession he shines at using an effectively efficient passing game to quickly get pucks up ice.
Though Mrtka is not an intimidator by any means, the opposition should be careful not to light a fire under him. The few times I've seen Mrtka's adrenaline boil, it was quickly followed by several opponents' bodies flying haywire around the ice surface. This kid is seriously powerful on his skates.
With the puck, Mrtka shows more potential than some give him credit for. He is an excellent puck handler, though most of his puck-handling skills rely on his long reach and ability to puck-protect than his good-but-not great hands. He's a very smart passer, but we shouldn't confuse him with Nick Lidstrom in this respect. Strangely, I'd say the weakest aspect of his game is his shot, which is ok in power and accuracy, but not particularly impressive in either respect. He's willing to join the rush though he's a defense-first player by all means, and he's good in transition but prefers smart passes over weaving through traffic himself.
When he's engaged in the offensive zone, Mrtka is extremely effective. He's got the puck-carrying ability, reach and skates to beat a defender one-on-one, and he holds pucks in the zone wonderfully. Opposing forwards trying to cover him at the point are often embarrassingly mismatched -- Mrtka can swat them away effortlessly and get to high-danger scoring areas in a heartbeat.
Radim Mrtka is a smart pick for any team, even as early as the #6-#10 overall range. He's a slam dunk to become an ace NHL shut-down defender, a 25-minute per game muncher who simply shuts the opposition down. And though his offensive game is a work in progress, he clearly thinks defense first. With all responsible amateur defenders who take a shut-down role more seriously than their draft status, the stats should be taken with a grain of salt. This player clearly has the skills and abilities to develop into a 40+ point NHL RD, a 2PP type. There's no risk with this player, we know he'll be good, the only question is how good.
RD Radim Mrtka, Seattle WHL
In a 2025 draft class is fraught with risk, Radim Mrtka might be the safest pick in the draft taken outside the top 2 overall. He's a 6'6-205 behemoth at the always-coveted position of RD who has clear potential to be a shut-down stud on the defensive side of the puck while also chipping in to a productive degree on the offensive side of the puck. He's really without any alarming weaknesses and he's a high character player who, by all indications, is only going to get stronger and better with time.
The first thing certain to get one's attention is the young Czechia native's rare and highly coveted combination of size and skating. Though not an elite skater, Mrtka is certain ly a good and mobile defenseman for a player of any size. His stops and starts and edge-work is better than that of most young men of his immense size, and his long, powerful strides give him a separation gear in open ice.
Defensively, Mrtka is simply dominant at the WHL level. What strikes scouts watching him is that he is more of a cerebral defenseman than simply a kid to overly rely on his huge, powerful frame. His gaps and positioning are excellent, his head is always on a swivel and he excels in anticipating his defensive responsibilities. He's a smart kid who plays with high level compete. In board and net-front battles he's unbeatable at the junior levels, and he's just going to get stronger and add more core strength. His physicality is more functional than aggressive -- he's terrific at using body-positioning and shoulder-checks to separate opposing puck carriers from pucks, and once Mrtka gains possession he shines at using an effectively efficient passing game to quickly get pucks up ice.
Though Mrtka is not an intimidator by any means, the opposition should be careful not to light a fire under him. The few times I've seen Mrtka's adrenaline boil, it was quickly followed by several opponents' bodies flying haywire around the ice surface. This kid is seriously powerful on his skates.
With the puck, Mrtka shows more potential than some give him credit for. He is an excellent puck handler, though most of his puck-handling skills rely on his long reach and ability to puck-protect than his good-but-not great hands. He's a very smart passer, but we shouldn't confuse him with Nick Lidstrom in this respect. Strangely, I'd say the weakest aspect of his game is his shot, which is ok in power and accuracy, but not particularly impressive in either respect. He's willing to join the rush though he's a defense-first player by all means, and he's good in transition but prefers smart passes over weaving through traffic himself.
When he's engaged in the offensive zone, Mrtka is extremely effective. He's got the puck-carrying ability, reach and skates to beat a defender one-on-one, and he holds pucks in the zone wonderfully. Opposing forwards trying to cover him at the point are often embarrassingly mismatched -- Mrtka can swat them away effortlessly and get to high-danger scoring areas in a heartbeat.
Radim Mrtka is a smart pick for any team, even as early as the #6-#10 overall range. He's a slam dunk to become an ace NHL shut-down defender, a 25-minute per game muncher who simply shuts the opposition down. And though his offensive game is a work in progress, he clearly thinks defense first. With all responsible amateur defenders who take a shut-down role more seriously than their draft status, the stats should be taken with a grain of salt. This player clearly has the skills and abilities to develop into a 40+ point NHL RD, a 2PP type. There's no risk with this player, we know he'll be good, the only question is how good.
@StevenToddIves I didn’t love the pick at the time (would have preferred Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Dickinson or Buium) I quickly changed my mind though. What a unicorn!! I’m really excited about this kid’s future. I’m curious how you feel about the aforementioned players one year later. Where do you think they would go in a redraft?
A quick redraft of 2024 at the top, for me, would go like this:
1 C Celebrini
2 W Demidov
3 LD Buium
4 LD Dickinson
5 LD Silayev
6 RD Parekh
7 W Catton
It's important to state that Lindstrom and Iginila drop a bit more for injury reasons than anything else, and either could end up being top 5 players in the class. I'm still very skeptical of Sennecke at #3, I think he's an NHLer in all likelihood, but I don't see him scoring as much at the highest levels as Catton or Hage. Speaking of Hage, I'd say my biggest risers of the class are him and Solberg, either of whom would threaten for the top 10 in a re-draft. Lastly, we should touch on Parekh who had an absolutely extraordinary draft+1 season in the Canadian Junior circuit. He still has challenges to face in shoring up his 200-foot game, but he left no doubt he can become an elite offensive defenseman at the highest levels.
How big is the gap between Buium to Dickinson to Silayev at this point? I know Buium especially is just a completely different player stylistically than Sliayev.
I was stunned Anaheim took Sennecke at 3OA. I remember you pumping the tires of both Hage and Solberg so I’m not surprised their arrow is pointing up. You’re usually right. lol….
The concern about Lindstrom was his track record of being injury prone. It stinks that black cloud continues to follow the kid. Hopefully he doesn’t wind up like Nolan Patrick- tons of promise and potential but completely derailed by not staying healthy.
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