With the ninth overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected defenseman Radim Mrtka from the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
Mrtka, 18, is a right-shot defender with plenty of size – he’s 6’6″ – who was ranked fifth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Here’s what EliteProspects had to say in their NHL draft guide;
“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.”
Mrtka started the year playing in his native Czechia, then made the jump to North America to play for the Thunderbirds. In 43 WHL games, he had 32 assists and 35 points. He also played for Czechia at the U-18 World Championships as well as at the U20 level.
Here’s the McKeen’s Hockey report on him, and here’s a link to a Daily Faceoff piece about how moving to the WHL helped elevate Mrtka’s draft stock.