Radim Mrtka

{{Short description|Czech ice hockey player (born 2007)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox ice hockey biography | name = Radim Mrtka | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2007|6|9|df=y}} | birth_place = Havlíčkův Brod, Czech Republic | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6 | weight_lb = 207 | position = Defence | shoots = Right | league = NHL | team = Buffalo Sabres | prospect_team =  | prospect_league = WHL | former_teams = Oceláři Třinec | ntl_team = | draft = 9th overall | draft_year = 2025 | draft_team = Buffalo Sabres | career_start = 2024 | career_end = }} '''Radim Mrtka''' (born 9 June 2007) is a Czech junior ice hockey player who is a defenceman  under contract as a prospect to the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He was selected ninth overall by the Sabres in the 2025 NHL entry draft.

==Early life== Mrtka was born to Miloš and Helena in Havlíčkův Brod, Czech Republic.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kepke |first1=Cami |title=2025 NHL Draft profile: Radim Mrtka, Seattle Thunderbirds |url=https://chl.ca/whl/article/2025-nhl-draft-profile-radim-mrtka-seattle-thunderbirds/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |access-date=2 July 2025 |date=20 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="EP">{{cite web |title=Radim Mrtka |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/872673/radim-mrtka |publisher=Elite Prospects |access-date=2 July 2025}}</ref>

==Playing career== Mrtka played with Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga (ELH) during the 2023–24 season. He recorded four goals and seven assists in 19 games with the under-20 team, and three goals and three assists in 17 games with the under-17 team. He was drafted 71st overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2024 CHL Import Draft.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/whl-thunderbirds/article/2024-chl-import-draft-recap/ |title=2024 CHL Import Draft Recap |website=CHL.ca |date=3 July 2024 |access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref>

He began the 2024–25 season with Oceláři Třinec, where he recorded one assist in 10 ELH games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.livesport.cz/zpravy/hokej-whl-mistrovsky-trinec-opousti-nejvetsi-ceska-nadeje-letosniho-draftu-mrtka-se-stehuje-do-seattlu/jcmiBMcK/ |title=Mistrovský Třinec opouští největší česká naděje letošního draftu. Mrtka se stěhuje do Seattlu |website=livesport.cz |date=29 November 2024 |access-date=16 April 2025 |language=Czech}}</ref> On 27 November 2024, he signed with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/whl/article/thunderbirds-sign-forward-radim-mrtka-to-scholarship-and-development-agreement/ |title=Thunderbirds sign Defenceman Radim Mrtka to Scholarship and Development Agreement |website=CHL.ca |first=Cory |last=Bukauskas |date=27 November 2024 |access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/prospect-leaves-czechia-for-seattle-thunderbirds |title=Prospect Leaves Czechia for Seattle Thunderbirds |work=The Hockey News |first=Derek |last=O'Brien |date=28 November 2024 |access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> During the 2024–25 WHL season he recorded three goals and 32 assists in 43 regular season games for the Thunderbirds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/meet-the-breakout-thunderbirds-defender-primed-to-make-a-splash-at-the-2025-nhl-draft/ |title=Meet the breakout Thunderbirds defender primed to make a splash at the 2025 NHL Draft |website=thejuniorhockeynews.com |date=28 February 2025 |access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sport.aktualne.cz/radim-mrtka-na-draftu-hokejove-nhl/r~6218a5620bf811f0a065ac1f6b220ee8/ |title=Nejžádanější Čech pro draft NHL letí vzhůru. Ohromuje "extrémně vzácným" mixem |website=sport.aktualne.cz |date=31 March 2025 |access-date=16 April 2025 |language=Czech}}</ref>

On 15 July 2025, Mrtka signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sabres sign Mrtka to 3-year, entry-level contract |url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-radim-mrtka-entry-level-contract |access-date=15 July 2025 |website=NHL.com |date=15 July 2025}}</ref>

==International play== {{MedalTableTop|name=}} {{MedalSport|Men's ice hockey}} {{MedalCountry|the {{ihj|CZE}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World Junior Championships}} {{MedalSilver|2026 United States|}} {{MedalBottom}} In December 2025, he was selected to represent Czechia at the 2026 World Junior Championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/world-juniors/article/czechia-unveils-roster-for-world-junior-championship/|title=Czechia unveils roster for world junior championship |website=Sportsnet |date=3 December 2025 |access-date=3 December 2025}}</ref> He was scoreless in five games and won a silver medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20/gamecenter/recap/68826/29-swe-vs-cze |title=Swedes win dramatic third gold |website=IIHF.com |first=Andrew |last=Podnieks |date=5 January 2026 |access-date=5 January 2026}}</ref>

==Career statistics==

===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 2023–24 | Oceláři Třinec | ELH | 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2024–25 | Oceláři Třinec | ELH | 10 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2024–25 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 43 || 3 || 32 || 35 || 46 | 6 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2025–26 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 43 || 1 || 33 || 34 || 38 | 5 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 2 |- | 2025–26 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 8 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 7 | 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"|ELH totals ! 13 !! 0 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — |}

===International=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em;" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 2023 | Czechia | U17 | 4th | 8 || 2 || 2 || 4 || 2 |- bgcolor="f0f0f0" | 2024 | Czechia | U18 | 6th | 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 31 |- | 2025 | Czech Republic | U18 | 7th | 5 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 4 |- bgcolor="f0f0f0" | 2026 | Czechia | WJC | {{silver2}} | 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4"|Junior totals ! 23 !! 3 !! 5 !! 8 !! 39 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Ice hockey stats}}

{{s-start}} {{s-ach}} {{succession box | before = Konsta Helenius | title = Buffalo Sabres first-round draft pick | years = 2025 | after = Incumbent}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mrtka, Radim}} Category:2007 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Czech sportsmen Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks Category:Czech ice hockey defencemen Category:Ice hockey people from Havlíčkův Brod Category:HC Oceláři Třinec players Category:NHL first-round draft picks Category:Rochester Americans players Category:Seattle Thunderbirds players