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

[LGR4GM]

Ok Mrtka had a consolidated ranking of 12, so getting him at 9 isn't a reach... looking at you Nesbitt. 

Mrtka does a few things very well. He's an active scanner and you'll see that in highlights. He's looking to find what's coming. He's also very active with his stick where he'll strip pucks and fire them up ice. Of course his passing ranges from really nice to wtf and it gives me Ristolainen vibes. 

His skating has the typical 18yr old and tall issues with pivots but he's getting better.  His recover ability and balance are pretty solid and his agility is there just needs work. 

In his own zone he's good at ending plays and shutting off walls but sometimes he loses coverage or gets walked. His offensive game is fine, he can hit open lanes but he won't manipulate them open. 

Overall, right now he's a 2nd pair who probably splits possession about 50/50. The size is nice and he's got flashes of awesome but he also has flashes of Risto with bad passes and occasionally stone hands. I'd leave him in the WHL for another year and see if you can get him on a college team for a couple years after that. In 4 years if he works hard and irons out his game, he'll be a strong #3 or maybe a #2. 

 

[Thorny]

On 12/23/2024 at 5:52 PM, pi2000 said:

It's always darkest before the dawn.

Today is the day.

Mark this date in Sabr....  

 

 

11 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Chara

 

Edited 10 hours ago by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

Should add Mrtka is a June bday so his younger for this class. You kinda hope he has the Dickinson glow up next year and then you're feeling good about the pick. It's not a bad pick, he's probably the 3rd best defenseman in this draft. 

[Rasmus_]

39 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

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

True, that would have been Aitcheson.

[LGR4GM]

37 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

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. 

No it isn't. 

He's perfectly fine as a pick at #9 though. 

[Rasmus_]

It's an alright pick, just really uninspiring. 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, Rasmus_ said:

True, that would have been Aitcheson.

[ASlugAbove]

This Reschny kid Calgary took at 18 looks better stats wise than Mrtka

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Rasmus_ said:

It's an alright pick, just really uninspiring. 

Kinda like Kevyn Adams 

Just now, ASlugAbove said:

This Reschny kid Calgary took at 18 looks better stats wise than Mrtka

He's also only 5'10.75" and 180lbs. 

[Flashsabre]

1 minute ago, Rasmus_ said:

It's an alright pick, just really uninspiring. 

Who would have been an inspiring pick at #9?

[Night Train]

Pipeline. No peach fuzz kid was helping us in the fall. Now make trades. 

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Flashsabre said:

Who would have been an inspiring pick at #9?

Carter Bear

[Rasmus_]

Just now, Flashsabre said:

Who would have been an inspiring pick at #9?

Carter Bear, or Eklund, someone who brings energy, compete and skill. 

[Eleven]

A Ristolainen

B Myers

C Chara

 

What will he become?

And wouldn't it have been more useful to trade it?  (Granted, we don't know what offers were around.)

[Rasmus_]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

A Ristolainen

B Myers

C Chara

 

What will he become?

And wouldn't it have been more useful to trade it?  (Granted, we don't know what offers were around.)

Truth!

 

[ASlugAbove]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Kinda like Kevyn Adams 

He's also only 5'10.75" and 180lbs. 

He scores like crazy 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, Rasmus_ said:

Carter Bear, or Eklund, someone who brings energy, compete and skill. 

I think mrtka competes. Energy... not like the 2 you mentioned. Skill, idk I go back n forth on his skill. 

2 minutes ago, ASlugAbove said:

He scores like crazy 

Yes he does. 

[Flashsabre]

3 minutes ago, Rasmus_ said:

Carter Bear, or Eklund, someone who brings energy, compete and skill. 

I don’t think they would have been more inspiring. Just personal preference of certain fans. 
 

Anything the Sabres do is just looked at with a negative lens and it’s well earned with all their garbage we have sat through. 

[Rasmus_]

1 minute ago, Flashsabre said:

I don’t think they would have been more inspiring. Just personal preference of certain fans. 
 

Anything the Sabres do is just looked at with a negative lens and it’s well earned with all their garbage we have sat through. 

Fair speculation, I'm just looking at guys in the forward group that offer more than just generic skill.  A nasty bit of bite, is sorely missed.  We have a group of soft ass players.

[LGR4GM]

No idea what the thumbs down is for Thorny. Is it the Kevyn Adams joke or telling you Cole Reschny's height?

Just now, Rasmus_ said:

Fair speculation, I'm just looking at guys in the forward group that offer more than just generic skill.  A nasty bit of bite, is sorely missed.  We have a group of soft ass players.

Maybe we'll get lucky and Nestrasil will fall to us. 

[LGR4GM]

Here's Mrtka smiling since apparently that's a talking point or something.

 

 

[Rasmus_]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

No idea what the thumbs down is for Thorny. Is it the Kevyn Adams joke or telling you Cole Reschny's height?

Maybe we'll get lucky and Nestrasil will fall to us. 

I would be all about Nestrasil in the second round. 

[dudacek]

Pretty good chance he plays a dozen years on an NHL second pair.

Pretty solid sensible pick for this spot in this draft.

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

Pretty good chance he plays a dozen years on an NHL second pair.

Pretty solid sensible pick for this spot in this draft.

It is. It's just not sexy. Lots of... "that's fine" in the Sabrehood this week. 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Here's Mrtka smiling since apparently that's a talking point or something.

 

 

It was sarcasm, though I don't think anyone caught it.