D Radim Mrtka - Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL (Draft 2025)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Dude has 16 assists in 19 games playing with one of the lowest-scoring forward groups in the WHL. It is a strength. He isn't Zellweger and won't be a PP1 guy but there are no reasons for concern there.

The guy isn't a 17 year old Chris Pronger and obviously there are some rough edges to smooth out but he's a 6'6 RHD all-situations minute muncher who has walked straight into the WHL as a PPG defender in his draft year. He's an outstanding prospect.

I don't think it's a weird criticism. I think it's actually the big question with him. And not to say the answer to the question is bad for him, but I think it's what NHL teams will be debating.

Does Mrtka have PP potential in the NHL? Is he going to score more than 20-25 points per season? Will you need to pair him with a designated puck mover or can he be the main puck mover on his pair?

He doesn't have to be Zellweger, but there's a wide range between Zellweger and being bad at these areas.

If he ends up just a pure defensive defenseman that does that job well, I don't think the value will look that bad in the top 10 (these players tend to be underrated over time and they actually usually end up being top 10-15 in re-drafts), but it's also just a risky type of player to pick that high.

That's why you probably aren't picking Mrtka top 10 (which some people think he may be and some disagree) if you believe he's only a defensive guy in the NHL. I think that there's a difference of opinion on this is why he could go higher than some people think, but also why it's a valid debate right now and even a discussion.

 

[MS]

I don't think it's a weird criticism. I think it's actually the big question with him. And not to say the answer to the question is bad for him, but I think it's what NHL teams will be debating.

Does Mrtka have PP potential in the NHL? Is he going to score more than 20-25 points per season? Will you need to pair him with a designated puck mover or can he be the main puck mover on his pair?

He doesn't have to be Zellweger, but there's a wide range between Zellweger and being bad at these areas.

If he ends up just a pure defensive defenseman that does that job well, I don't think the value will look that bad in the top 10 (these players tend to be underrated over time and they actually usually end up being top 10-15 in re-drafts), but it's also just a risky type of player to pick that high.

That's why you probably aren't picking Mrtka top 10 (which some people think he may be and some disagree) if you believe he's only a defensive guy in the NHL. I think that there's a difference of opinion on this is why he could go higher than some people think, but also why it's a valid debate right now and even a discussion.

There are only a very tiny percentage of prospects who have real PP1 potential in the NHL.

NHL ES scoring for defenders from the #10-150 spots (ish - I'd have to look up the exact numbers again) out of the 192 theoretical 'spots' available is remarkably consistent with most of the NHL in that 20-30 ESP/82 range every year. I don't see any reason why Mrtka can't be a 25 ESP guy in the NHL and I wouldn't consider it any sort of real 'issue'.

This isn't like with Charlie Elick as an example where there was a real issue whether his puck skills were good enough to be anything more than a 5-10 point #6-7 guy if he made it.