„Jsem nadšený, že jsem byl draftovaný tak vysoko, otevírá se nová kapitola. Tohle je první krok,“ řekl během úvodní reakce Mrtka, který by chtěl tradiční klub vrátit mezi pravidelné účastníky play off, na něž Sabres aktuálně čekají už 14 sezon.
Úvodní výběry probíhaly bez překvapení. New York Islanders si z prvního místa zamluvili kanadského zadáka Matthewa Schaefera, na pódium divadla Peacock v Los Angeles ho pak vystřídali centři Michael Misa (San Jose) a Anton Frondell (Chicago).
Mrtka od listopadu působí v juniorském Seattle Thunderbirds, ale zástupci týmu Kraken ze stejného města českého hokejistu na 8. místě neoznámili. Vybrali si útočníka Jakea O’Briena.
Pak už ale komisionář NHL Gary Bettman ohlásil příchod rockových veteránů a rodáků z Buffala Johna Rzeznika a Robbyho Takace z kapely Goo Goo Dolls. A ti přečetli jméno české naděje.
Mrtka se za potlesku přítomných v hledišti objal s rodiči, bratrem i agentem Alešem Volkem. „Naši jsou na mě rozhodně pyšní a musím jim poděkovat, protože mě během let hodně podporovali a bez nich bych to nedokázal,“ řekl odchovanec Havlíčkova Brodu.
Volným krokem pak vystoupal za Bettmanem, načež si na sebe navlékl dres a čepici Sabres. Poté už přešel do virtuální místnosti, v níž se na dálku setkal s hlavouny klubu. Vítal ho generální manažer Kevyn Adams po boku s majitelem Terrym Pegulou a koučem Lindy Ruffem.
„Kamarádi mi posílali nějaké předpovědi, že bych měl být devátý, ale já to nečekal,“ tvrdil Mrtka. „V Buffalu už jsem byl na testech Draft Combine, viděl jsem arénu, zázemí a vím, že fanoušci jsou skvělí, takže jsem nadšený.“
V týmu Sabres působí také jednadvacetiletý Jiří Kulich, který by měl během zářijového tréninkového kempu pomoct Mrtkovi s rychlou adaptací. „Osobně se neznáme, ale slyšel jsem o něm jen dobré věci.“
V obraně Buffala také jedničky draftu Rasmus Dahlin (2018) a Owen Power (2021), ale klub od Niagarských vodopádů hledal praváka, což Mrtka splňuje. Navíc by se měl dál zlepšovat a Sabres s ním výhledově počítají do prvních dvou obranných párů i na přesilovku.
„Buffalo má výborné hráče, zejména Dahlina, který byl jedním z mých idolů. Sledoval jsem ho a snažil se hrát jako on. Bude skvělé se od něj učit,“ řekl Mrtka, kterému imponuje klid a rozvaha švédského kapitána Sabres.
„Chci hrát srdcem. Pro tým bych udělal všechno, abych mu pomohl dosáhnout slávy,“ navnadil Mrtka fanoušky klubu, jehož největší hvězdou v dějinách byl gólman Dominik Hašek, jenž v roce 1999 dovedl Sabres až do finále Stanley Cupu. To je pro českou naději velká výzva.
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