ORCHARD PARK – Up until the Buffalo Sabres selected defenseman Radim Mrtka ninth overall in Friday’s NHL Draft, general manager Kevyn Adams said he was having conversations with his counterparts about trading the pick.
Leading up to the draft, Adams seemed open to dealing his first-rounder for talent that could immediately help the Sabres. He wasn’t, however, going to trade it for the sake of it.
“There weren’t deals that I felt would have made our team better, and that’s what I set up to do,” Adams said Friday at One Bills Drive after the first round ended.
So Adams used pick to take the 6-foot-6, 218-pound Mrtka, who spent most of last season with the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
“I think it’s a package that’s pretty rare – 6-foot-6 right-shot defenseman that plays a good two-way game, good with the puck,” he said. “Good feet, mobile, plays hard, really, really good kid. Just in my experience as general manager over the years, it’s extremely challenging to get those type of players if you don’t draft them.”
Early last season, Mrtka, 18, briefly played pro hockey in his native Czechia before joining the junior Thunderbirds to receive more ice time.
“Going from the Czech league – you’re not getting as much ice time as a young guy – and all of a sudden, playing junior in the Western Hockey League, that’s a big life transition,” Adams said. “His English is great. Just an impressive kid.”
Mrtka, of course, might be years away from joining the Sabres. Adams is under enormous pressure to add NHL talent for the upcoming season.
He acquired two players Thursday, sending winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for right-shot defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan.
Adams said following the season, the Sabres intended to re-sign Peterka, 23, before “it became apparent to me and our group that it wasn’t going to work.”
Clearly, Peterka, who scored 28 goals and 68 points last season, wanted out of Buffalo.
“But we made the trade because we think it was the best thing for the Buffalo Sabres,” Adams said.
Kesserling fills perhaps the Sabres’ biggest need: a right-shot defenseman to play alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power.
“We identified a 6-foot-5 right-shot defenseman that we think has big upside still,” Adams said. “Competitive, plays hard, skates well. And really just, for me, that was a critical piece that we needed to fill. We’ve been working on it for a long time.”
Meanwhile, Adams loves Doan’s tenacity and versatility.
“He’s such a good, just competitive, honest, two-way player at a young age (23),” he said. “And we think he’s going to step in our lineup and be impactful; we think, in time, the ceiling his higher as well. He’s going to be able to be an all-situation player.
“Big, strong, physical and elite character.”
Adams said “both these guys want be here.”
“They’re excited,” he said. “They want to be part of the solution, and that, for me, they checked the boxes that we’re looking for.”
Peterka’s departure leave a significant hole in Buffalo’s lineup. Adams believes they can replace some of his production internally.
“The guys like the Jack Quinns of the world, the Zach Bensons just progressing in their own game,” he said.
But goal scoring isn’t Adams’ biggest concern.
“It’s more, can we defend better?” he said. “Can we be a team that is harder to play against, defensively, plays the game more responsible, I guess would be a better way to say it.
“And I think both of these players – that’s why we focused on them – will help in that regard.”
Still, the Sabres are likely looking to add another top-six forward through a trade. Defenseman Bowen Byram, who’s set to become a restricted free agent, could help them land a scorer.
“For me, Bo, he’s an elite defenseman in the league right now, and so I am definitely open if it’s kind of like the situation with JJ,” Adams said. “If it’s the right trade that we think helps our team, we’re definitely open to that.
“In saying that, I love Bo Byram as a player and as a person, and I’d be more than fine with him part of our D corps.”
The Sabres have nine picks today over the final six rounds.
Great trade and draft pick. This D-man is going to be a Beast.
Im in the minority in saying Im glad Peterka is gone. He’s a 1-trick pony like Skinner. He’s soft, doesn’t do any dirty work in the corners or play any D. He’s soft as hell, and has that sour puss look on his face all the time. He’s not worth that contract. I like these 2 young kids we got in Kesselring & Doan. Our team will be much better with these two. Time for Quinn to step up his game. He’s soft as well. He got reawarded with an extension because he was a 1st round draft pick. He’s just like Peterka…. great shot and nothing else. Personally, I would have traded Quinn too.
No. Both of your first statements are incorrect
Tell us why he’s wrong, or don’t say anything at all. I’ve been as critical of this team and it’s front office executives over the past 20-30 years as any fan of the Blue and Gold, but I’m more critical of players who sneer quietly when putting that 50+ year old logo on their chest, want out of town, have 87 giveaways individually in the 70+ games he played, and didn’t seem to battle for the puck hard enough, especially in the “D” zone, and has rarely mentioned how he wants to be a part of the defensive solution they are trying to find. As Adams said, this team needs to defend 300% better and make opposing offenses reticent to charge into the corner because our group will — “by the rules” and correctly in the eyes of the guys in stripes — try to put them through the glass and into our overpriced beer and nachos, and collectively were still too soft. I will give Kevin and his execs one (maybe two) more chance(s) to get guys who’ll be that tough, and I believe these two will. Our offense (Thompson, Tuch, McLeod, Zucker, Dahlin, Power maybe, Byram if he decides to stay, Quinn of he wants to prove the naysayers wrong and reward Adams and Ruff for the 164–game contract extension, Benson by adding more shot to his Energizer Bunny and gritty forcecheck mentality, maybe even five more goals each from Beck and Malenstyn, world keep them above 2 goals a game, but they’ll never win a game where they score 3 to 4 if they don’t improve significantly by heights equaling the Horseshoe or American Falls in nearby Niagara.
David, I am in the minority with you. Too many Buffalo network reporters, plus Rob Ray, Martin Biron, and national analysts like Friedman, McKenzie, Hrudey, Jennifer Botterill, Weekes, Messier, Subban, Carter and Bissonette, consistently said JJ wanted out sooner rather than later. They had heard rumors and reports that he didn’t respect and appreciate playing for the logo on the front enough, turned the puck over easily and didn’t dig hard enough to get it back, didn’t stand up for his teammates enough for their liking, or mine, and those analysts said that’s not the culture Pegula (when he cares enough, but that’s a different story for another time), Adams, Forton (who I met when I worked radio for WJJL and the athletics department, and he was a successful assistant under Burkholder at Niagara University many, many moons ago. I often was impressed by his hockey IQ, coaching abilities, recruiting abilities, and his drive to instill toughness in The Purple Eagles), Ruff and his assistants want on this team.
They all know this group is starting to score more, shoot more (although I still want way more shot attempts, and quality shot attempts) and that the young guns and minor league veterans down the I-90 in The River City can score, but you can not win enough games where you score 3, if you don’t defend hard enough to only give up 1 or 2.
Meanwhile, I would like to believe they tried to trade Quinn, but no return was enough for Adams and Forton, so they given the kid one last chance to show this fan base that his shot, which I have found to be lethal, but not often enough, can produce, and he can replace JJ on the right side of the power play unit, and help Thompson score one-timers and short-side howitzers!!
Well said Andrew. I’m with you brother. Sabres 2025 definitely need to shoot more. Too many times they went for that extra pass and didn’t end up getting a shot off or just struggled to even get the power play set up in the zone. We need a more bodies in front (like Zucker & Tuch do) of the net, and lets get those rebounds & tip-ins.
Kesselring & Doan will make us forget all about Peterka. I have no doubt.
~ Go Sabres