Radim Mrtka – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Mrtka displays a disciplined physicality and effective gap control, making him a formidable presence on the ice. He excels at keeping his back to forecheckers, pushing opponents during pinches, and forcing players into corners while maintaining a play style that minimizes penalties. Despite his larger stature, Mrtka showcases impressive skating skills, particularly in straight lines, where his powerful strides stand out. His exceptional footwork and agility allow him to evade pressure and move fluidly in all directions. He effectively executes side-to-side movements, especially during power plays, creating opportunities for shooting and passing. His strong stride and excellent balance make it difficult for him to get knocked off the puck.

Offensively, Mrtka is a solid puck distributor along the blue line; however, he does not show high-end potential in this area. As expected for a player of his size, he possesses remarkable reach, which he utilizes effectively. His combination of mobility and reach ensures that he is always in play, even when backchecking. While he is good at distributing the puck, he does not demonstrate elite potential. He has a straightforward approach to the game and takes advantage of the opportunities presented. He is not known for heavily influencing the game or relying on finesse.

Although Mrtka’s shooting could use improvement, he is primarily an excellent defensive asset. He effectively utilizes his size and reach to limit attackers’ time and space, forcing them to the perimeter and making poor decisions. With an average of six takeaways per game, he demonstrates strong play-reading abilities, elite puck anticipation, and positional awareness. 

Mrtka effectively separates opponents from the puck using subtle physicality and balance rather than relying on heavy hits. At the junior level, he contributes to the power play and penalty kill units. He confidently manages the second power-play unit, using his mobility and vision to distribute the puck and create offensive opportunities. On the penalty kill, he excels at closing gaps, using his stick to disrupt plays and keep opponents to the outside. 

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Radim Mrtka – NHL Draft Projection

Martka’s size, skating ability, and hockey IQ should see him selected in the top 10, if not the top 15. Matthew Schaefer is the only other defenseman likely to be picked before him, and he is arguably a top-three selection. After Schaefer, there are varying opinions on who might go next, whether it’s Martka, Jackson Smith, or Logan Hensler, depending on who is viewed as more valuable.

Quotables

“Has adjusted seamlessly to play in North America despite fits and starts just after his arrival. The blend of size, skating and puck moving ability in a right shot defenceman is extremely rare.” – Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet

“Mrtka has size and some decent creativity, making it difficult to beat him down the middle. Mrtka’s skating needs to improve to take the next step in his game, but I like that he’s playing more than 25 minutes a night in the WHL.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff.

“The hulking right-shot defender is quite mobile for his size, and he uses that to impact the game at both ends of the ice. In his own end, he will finish his checks along the wall and use his length to dislodge puck possession.” – Tony Ferrari – The Hockey News 

Strengths

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Mrtka possesses a unique combination of size, skating ability, and hockey IQ, which gives him the potential to become a top-pairing NHL defenseman. His ability to influence the game at both ends of the ice and his composure under pressure make him an invaluable asset in all situations. His physical attributes and skill set draw comparisons to Travis Sanheim of the Philadelphia Flyers, as both are towering, mobile defensemen with elite shutdown capabilities and offensive upside.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2.5/5, Reward – 4.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 6.5/10, Defence – 8.5/10

Awards/Achievements

Radim Mrtka Statistics

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