The St. Louis could have found an immediate replacement for Colton Parayko in the deal with the Buffalo Sabres.
While the deal isn’t official yet, and the full specs have not been revealed, the chatter posits that former ninth-overall pick Radim Mrtka will be heading to St. Louis.
Mrtka is 6’6” and 218 pounds. That’s tremendous size for an 18-year-old. Interestingly enough, Parayko is 6’6” and 229 pounds. It seems that the Blues pretty much got a Parayko clone, but like 15 years younger.
The book on Mrtka is that he’s a physical player with some offensive upside. He’s drawn comparisons to Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara.
Elite Prospects has this fascinating scouting report:
“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.”
That sounds pretty good for a Blues team that’s looking to retool and get younger.
Thus far this season, Mrtka has one goal and 29 points in 35 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. That’s not bad, especially since Mrtka isn’t supposed to be an offensive defenseman.
In fact, he’s supposed to be pretty much the same type of blueliner that Parayko is.
The difference, however, is that Mrtka is still a couple of years away from even getting consideration for the Blues’ lineup. At 18, he’ll need to decide if he’ll return to the WHL as a 19-year-old or potentially transition to the AHL.
If he does go to the AHL, he might get a shot with the Blues next season, especially if the blue line is depleted.
Beyond Parayko’s departure, Justin Faulk’s potential departure could also open a roster spot for Mrtka. That situation means that the Blues could have a very young, but promising defense corps next season.
Then, there’s the first-round pick purportedly in play. Tankathon has the Sabres picking 26th at the 2026 NHL Draft. That pick could turn into another solid blueliner.
Who knows, but the Blues could turn this season into the foundation for a remarkable turnaround in the years to come.