How a move to the WHL helped elevate Radim Mrtka’s 2025 NHL Draft stock

Jun 23, 2025, 10:30 EDT

How a move to the WHL helped elevate Radim Mrtka’s 2025 NHL Draft stock

Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

It’s never easy for a European prospect to leave home to chase an opportunity thousands of miles away.

But that might be what makes Radim Mrtka one of the top defensemen taken in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Back in late November, Mrtka left his pro team in the top Czech league, HC Ocelari Trinec, to chase more ice time. That decision landed him with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, a team that needed more defensive help. It was an incredibly smart move, given he was playing fewer than 10 minutes a night in Czechia.

But it took some time to get comfortable. Mrtka went from traveling and playing against pros – many of whom have NHL experience – to taking bus rides across Western Canada, a place he wasn’t too familiar with beyond playing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton last summer. He didn’t speak much English, either, so Mrtka said he spent time listening to others to help pick up on it quickly.

The Havlickuv Brod, Czechia native immediately found himself skating in more than 20 minutes a game in Seattle. After registering a three-point effort in just his fourth game, the floodgates started to open, with Mrtka posting an impressive 35 points and 46 penalty minutes in 43 games.

If Mrtka had stayed, who knows how far he could have fallen?

“(Seattle) gave me a lot of time and a lot of chances, and I think it went pretty good for both of the sides,” Mrtka said. “It’s my dream to be in the NHL, so it’s kind of preparation for me to live here and stay here.”

Standing tall at 6-foot-6 and more than 200 pounds, Mrtka is one of the most fascinating defenders in this draft. He can skate with the puck, play a ton of minutes and can easily move the puck. At the 2025 NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo, multiple prospects considered Mrtka to be the most challenging player to go up against.

The Thunderbirds became a different team once Mrtka showed up. He became a key piece of the team’s offense from the blueline, often serving as a quarterback. Offensively, he doesn’t have many flaws – he can shoot, pass and even pull off some high-skill moves. While Mrtka is strong physically, he uses his size more to win battles and fend off attackers than to knock someone over. His ability to get hit but remain in control is second-to-none among defenders in this class.

“He has a big body with a long reach and he can skate, too,” fellow WHLer Carter Bear said. “He’s tough to get around sometimes.”

At his best, Mrtka can be the best player on the ice. He didn’t score much this year, but he does a good job of rushing the puck into the offensive zone. He plays a high-risk, high-reward game where he’ll often go for the passes that could result in a higher-quality chance.

But that can burn him, too, just like it did a bit too often during the U-18 World Championship. Some scouts were disappointed in the number of giveaways in his zone. A few of them even led to costly goals. On the other hand, some scouts appreciate that he’s willing to try these high-risk plays because it shows a level of natural ability that, in theory, can be refined into a more manageable level, rather than forcing more skilled chances.

While there are better skaters on defense, Mrtka’s fluidity and top speed are still among the best and way above those of most players his size. He does a great job of taking space away, especially on the penalty kill. Having a long reach like his doesn’t hurt, either.

Mrtka says he likes watching Victor Hedman and Moritz Seider – two other big defenders who like rushing the puck. He says he still wants to get better offensively and choosing the right shooting opportunities, but many scouts think that’ll come with more experience and confidence.

It wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest if Mrtka is the second defender off the board. Matthew Schaefer is a lock to be the first off the board. But scouts are split between Mrtka, Jackson Smith, Logan Hensler and Kashawn Aitcheson. Mrtka doesn’t have any one specific trait that beats out the others, but he’s close to as well-rounded as you’ll find from a bigger defenseman. He has top-four upside written all over him – and one team is going to be very, very happy to land him.

Tune in for The Sheet Draft Special, streaming live on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel on Friday, June 27th at 7 PM EST. Hosted by Jeff Marek, this live special will cover all the action from the 2025 Draft, including expert analysis of top prospects, team-by-team breakdowns, and real-time reactions to every pick. Whether you’re tracking your team’s future stars or just love the drama of draft night, this is your go-to destination for all things Draft.

Recent Articles from Steven Ellis

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER