Sabres sign Radim Mrtka to three-year, entry-level contract

The Buffalo Sabres announced Tuesday they had signed defenseman Radim Mrtka to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Mrtka was taken with the No. 9 overall pick in last month’s NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old spent the majority of the 2024-25 season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, scoring three goals and recording 32 assists for 35 points in 43 regular-season games. He also recorded three assists in six WHL playoff games.

Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis called Mrtka, who stands at 6-foot-6, 220 lbs, one of the best “big guy” prospects of this draft class.

“He was a big-time producer with the Thunderbirds and would probably finish with 50 points in a full season,” Ellis wrote. “Tack on the fact he’s 6-foot-6, a right-hand shot, and quite mobile, and there’s a lot to love. That’s the thing about Mrtka – you won’t find many blueliners his size who can accelerate like he can, and the Czech defender doesn’t seem too fazed rushing the puck at speed, either.”

Before joining Seattle, Mrtka played 10 games for Trinec Ocular HC’s senior team in the Czechia’s Extraliga. He also played for Trinec Ocular’s Under-20 team, scoring four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 29 games.

Internationally, the 6-foot-6 blueliner represented his native Czechia at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping them reach the gold medal game, losing to Canada. He also played in the last two IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championships.

The Sabres finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 36-39-7 record and 79 points, seventh in the Atlantic Division, 14th in the Eastern Conference and 26th in the NHL. Forward Tage Thompson led the team in goals and points with 44 and 72, respectively.