Can 2021 first-round pick, Sebastian Cossa, make the next jump in development for the Detroit Red Wings and become their franchise goalie? It feels like he might have turned a corner in his development.
When Detroit Red Wings General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman traded up with the Dallas Stars in the 2021 draft, there was no secret that he was interested and looking for a goalie. Many believed that goalie could be Jesper Wallstedt, but he opted to take the highly touted Sebastian Cossa instead.
In Cossa’s draft year, he went 33-9-3 in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings and was considered a future starter/franchise goalie in the NHL. Cossa’s time with Edmonton concluded with a 71-16-7 record with 14 shutouts and a 2.12 career GAA.
After being picked 15th overall by the Red Wings, though, his season in Grand Rapids was cut short after just three starts with the Griffins. In those three starts, Cossa went 1-1 with a lowly .783 save percentage and was subsequently sent down to Toledo in the ECHL.
Once Cossa arrived in Toledo, he looked more like the highly touted, hyped-up goalie that earned him the first-rounder status. In the regular season, Cossa went 26-16-4 with a 2.56 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage, and four shutouts.
Cossa was rewarded with ECHL Goaltender of the Month for March after posting a 6-1-1 record, with a 1.73 GAA and a shutout. On top of an impressive regular season, Cossa posted a 5-2 record in the playoffs with a 2.31 goals-against average in a run that ended up with the Walleye making it to the Conference Finals before losing to Idaho.
Detroit Red Wings netminder Sebastian Cossa might be ready to soar.
Word out of the Red Wings developmental camp this year is that many people have been impressed with Cossa’s development in his game and his mindset as well. The 2023-2024 season for Cossa will be a very crucial season to further his development with the presumed advancement back to Grand Rapids.
Cossa will most likely be relied on in Grand Rapids to carry a decent amount of time in net and will be watched carefully by management and the coaching staff. If he can build off of the hot stretch that he played in last season with Toledo, Cossa could very well be knocking on the door of the NHL as early as 2024, when recently signed goalie James Reimer’s contract expires.
If Cossa can continue on the path that he left off on in 2023, the Red Wings could finally be looking at their future long-term in net that they have been looking for for years. But if Cossa does not develop and live up to the first-rounder status, then the Red Wings could be headed back to the drawing board.