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.

 

[Juxtaposer]

lol I absolutely did not, you just chose to assume the worst because it was a comment you didn't want to hear, which is super average behavior


What a stupid stupid stupid comment

I have quite literally no skin in the game. I am not Czech and Mrtka isn't going to be drafted in the range that the Sharks have a pick, so I'm not sure why I wouldn't want to hear anything about Mrtka.

The reason your review made it sound like it was the first time you'd ever seen him was because you commented on two things--his hands and his skating--in such an extreme way that it sounds like a first impression. Plus the fact that you went to this game expecting to see a future #1D, which made me assume that you'd never seen him play before.

 

[Czechboy]

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?

My answers

Yes but he won't be Makar back there.

50 point will be his career best

No, he'll be the puck mover and won't need to be carried on pair 2.

Now ask me again in 3 years when he's making NHL inroads.

My wild guesses:

D + 1 He goes to AHL next season (has played pro, near .ppg in CHL and has a big body)
D + 2 He goes to AHL the season after that
D + 3 We start talking about call ups, injury replacements and cups of coffee. 10 NHL games
D + 4 Full time NHL - rookie year
D + 5 Decent 2nd year
D + 6 Now his fanbase starts loving him

 

[Habs7631]

How does his defensive game project as the NHL level? Mrtka, Hensler and Fiddler are 3 names that keep circulating in the Habs fanbase as one of the Dman they should draft with one of their 2 1st rounder. The goal seems to pair one of those with Hutson/Guhle in the future if everything goes right.

 

[Dempsey]

Well if this player's strength is supposed to be puck skills then it's a major red flag.

I very much want to be watching a player with those skills when I watch him. But of course that can't be true, it has to be bad faith congrats to all of you getters to the bottom of it! Hope the Sharks draft him

I appreciated your original post because I always want to read more than just the positives on a player, I want to figure out why a prospect might bust or have a hard time standing out in the NHL because let's face it a lot of them will. It's easy to focus on the good traits of a player but tell me why a player might not make it and I'll keep it in mind in future viewings.