Radim Mrtka, 6'6" RHD drafted 9th overall by Sabres

[LGR4GM]

Here yea go

Edited 6 hours ago by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

"While Mrtka isn’t a particularly punishing player, he’s an active and aware defender. He scans for threats, ties them up, and rotates well. Though he lands the occasional big hit, his physical impact comes through his ability to absorb contact, win retrievals, and deny space.

With possession, Mrtka’s no slouch, either. He makes tricky passes off the wall on retrievals, joins the rush, and manages space well at the top of the zone. Though his points mostly come from straightforward plays and zone-extending pinches, he flashes some high-end ability.

“One shift, Mrtka pulled the puck off the wall, evaded two defenders, then hit a hesitation move before firing,” wrote Dir. of North American scouting Mitchell Brown in February.

“Off the next faceoff, he shielded the puck, accelerated down the wall, and manipulated the defender to secure the passing lane to the slot, setting up a goal. Though inconsistent, he manipulates opponents and creates lanes with handling skill, look-offs, and push-in and push-out routes, especially on the breakout.”" - Elite Prospects 

Edited 6 hours ago by LGR4GM

[GoPuckYourself]

My first impression is that he loved to throw the body around and now seems alot more like Power or Samuelsson and I dislike the pick even more.

[Taro T]

So, guess next time Forton raves about a kid right before the draft we should believe that's the kid he really raves about.

[Derrico]

I still don’t believe how much influence Forton has.  Barf. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Nothing wrong with the pick, but it’s guy who won’t  a difference for the Sabres for 4-5 years.  Snooze.

Don't forget we already have Strbak.

We need to move on from some of these picks and prospects to bolster the current Sabres. 

[Demoted]

Someone tell me how I am supposed to feel!

[Turbo44]

4 minutes ago, Derrico said:

I still don’t believe how much influence Forton has.  Barf. 

What’s wrong with Forton, he about the only non f@ck up in the organization? His picks have been mostly solid

 

[Gatorman0519]

I actually like this pick. Gives us a really good prospect pool on defense, which is foundational to the future. Any forward was a gamble at this point anyways.  We could of drafted the 7th best forward prospect or the second best defensive prospect in the draft. 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Gatorman0519 said:

I actually like this pick. Gives us a really good prospect pool on defense, which is foundational to the future. Any forward was a gamble at this point anyways.  We could of drafted the 7th best forward prospect or the second best defensive prospect in the draft. 

We didn't draft the 2nd best defensive prospect though. 

[Turbo44]

Just now, Gatorman0519 said:

I actually like this pick. Gives us a really good prospect pool on defense, which is foundational to the future. Any forward was a gamble at this point anyways.  We could have drafted the 7th best forward prospect or the second best defensive prospect in the draft. 

Yeah not a bad pick - I liked smith better if you go for d or McQueen or Eklund. But it’s only a slight reach not just what PHI did

[Demoted]

2 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

which is foundational to the future.

Which teams future?

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

Is this a Euro version of Tyler Myers?

[Gatorman0519]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We didn't draft the 2nd best defensive prospect though. 

Even if he is 3rd is still better than the 7th or 8th rated forward prospect. He has unique size and hockey IQ, coveted in todays game. It's all a crap shoot by 9 anyways. We could have a really good top 4 down the road. 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We didn't draft the 2nd best defensive prospect though. 

Know the draft is your thing, but any idea what supersized RHD will be available to target in FA?  If they grab all of them, something HAS to work, right?  Maybe.  Possibly.  In theory at least, right?

[LGR4GM]

 

 

 

 

[Mr. Allen]

I liked Mrtka before we traded away a young STUD to get Kesserling.  He’s now supposed to be our big RHD of the future (you have to assume will resign him long term, if not what a terrible trade).  Then we have big RHD in the pipeline.  And we still have Byram on the roster.  
And at this point you know we can’t sign Bryam long term because that will automatically lock up our top 4 for the next 5 years and the Mrtka pick is a waste. 
Plus, this pick hurts our leverage with trading Byram.  
Like the player, don’t like the pick.  Should’ve went McQueen or Bear. 

[Taro T]

And Detroit takes your Bear.

Oops.  Wrong thread.

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

Yeah not a bad pick - I liked smith better if you go for d or McQueen or Eklund. But it’s only a slight reach not just what PHI did

What Philly just did is stupid. Really stupid. Zachary Senyshyn stupid.

Carter Bear goes to Detroit... sigh

1 minute ago, Mr. Allen said:

I liked Mrtka before we traded away a young STUD to get Kesserling.  He’s now supposed to be our big RHD of the future (you have to assume will resign him long term, if not what a terrible trade).  Then we have big RHD in the pipeline.  And we still have Byram on the roster.  
And at this point you know we can’t sign Bryam long term because that will automatically lock up our top 4 for the next 5 years and the Mrtka pick is a waste. 
Plus, this pick hurts our leverage with trading Byram.  
Like the player, don’t like the pick.  Should’ve went McQueen or Bear. 

Mrtka won't sniff the nhl for 3 years, it hurts nothing. 

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Know the draft is your thing, but any idea what supersized RHD will be available to target in FA?  If they grab all of them, something HAS to work, right?  Maybe.  Possibly.  In theory at least, right?

Ekblad? I mean we can still draft more massive rhds in round 2 this year. 

[pi2000]

8 minutes ago, Palm Trees And Taxes said:

Is this a Euro version of Tyler Myers?

Chara

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

What Philly just did is stupid. Really stupid. Zachary Senyshyn stupid.

Carter Bear goes to Detroit... sigh

Mrtka won't sniff the nhl for 3 years, it hurts nothing. 

Ekblad? I mean we can still draft more massive rhds in round 2 this year. 

Hmm, Ekblad.  Wouldn't that be something if FLA ended up with 3 of the 1st 4 from the '14 draft all at the same time and then the Sabres replaced 3 years later the 2nd pick of that draft with the 1st pick of that draft.  (No f'n way Ekblad would come to Buffalo.  But interesting thought.)

[Derrico]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Mrtka won't sniff the nhl for 3 years, it hurts nothing

This.  Any nhl pick outside the top 2 or 3 should have no barring on the current roster.  Particularly a big D.  We might have 2 D still on our roster when he’s ready for prime time (if ever).  The timeline is 3 plus years 

[shrader]

4 minutes ago, Derrico said:

This.  Any nhl pick outside the top 2 or 3 should have no barring on the current roster.  Particularly a big D.  We might have 2 D still on our roster when he’s ready for prime time (if ever).  The timeline is 3 plus years 

Which is a big reason why it always bugs me how they constantly talk about how these draft picks will fit with certain guys already on the team. This isn’t a top 2 picks, it’s a completely different timeline from what the NHL team needs today. 

[FrenchConnection44]

The raw talent is there. He transitioned quickly from the Czech league to North American hockey very so one hopes he can progress quickly, get stronger and will still use his body well. He already has an understated physicality to his game from what I read. From NHL.com:

Mrtka compares his game to that of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, who was selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. 

"I think it's a fair comparison [to Seider]," NHL Central Scouting senior western scout John Williams said. "When he arrived in November, he played every situation from the get-go because [Seattle] had some injuries. For a guy who's 6-foot-6, he moves very well, has a little bit of bite in his game, and can jump up on the rush. I think he'd be a very good [No. 2 defenseman] who can play with a really good, skilled player.

"But he can also be on a power play, can kill penalties and can just eat minutes."

As such, Mrtka already has become reliable enough to be paired with any type of defense partner.

"I think he's just a guy that can get the puck out of trouble and move it out of the defensive zone," O'Dette said. "He's always going to be in a position where he can help do that, which can take a lot of pressure off a defense partner. He's always going to be in a position where he can defend and maybe help out a partner when there's some mistakes because he's got that reach, that length with his stick, and he's really smart in the way he uses that.

"The way he plays, sometimes you forget he's only [18]. When he fills out and matures physically, he's going to be quite the imposing force out there."

 

[Derrico]

My only solace right now is I haven’t felt this ***** about a Buffalo draft pick since Josh Allen.  Come on universe….