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Coast to Coast: Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa doesn't back down

Watching Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect turn the tide in his development is music to my ears and should be to yours too. Here's why.

By Kaitlyn Glaza |
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Growing up, I had no clue of the difference between immediate and extended family.  They were (and still are) one and the same to me. 

The only difference between the two was the travel time it took to reach my extended family. For some of my extended family, it was a seven-hour commute each way. I can’t tell you the number of hours spent in Western New York and the Canadian border.

Along the way, my parents jammed out to their classic rock, with familiar voices gracing the radio. One of my favorites was Casey Kasem. He was known to my young self as the voice of Norville “Shaggy” Rogers on many of the Scooby-Doo TV shows I loved (and still love). His Coast to Coast show was one of my favorites.

As I watch the Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect, Sebastian Cossa, I can't help but think of this Coast-to-Coast show as he makes some of the most spectacular saves.

Decades after I listened to Coast to Coast on those road trips, around the time of the 2021 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft, I began listening to rock band I Prevail’s album Trauma. A particular song caught my attention, “Bow Down.” (Please note this song is explicit and considered hard rock.)

Now, I can’t help but think of it as Cossa’s theme song. It’s intense, but so is Cossa on the ice.

To give a bit of insight, here are some lyrics that make me think of Cossa:

"You will never know, it's the price I pay
Look into my eyes, we are not the same
Yeah, this is where you fall apart
Yeah, this is where you break
'Cause I'm in control and you'll know my name
'Cause I gave my life, gave it everything
Yeah, this is where you fall apart
Yeah, this is where you break
To everybody who doubted
Get on y our knees and bow down"
I Prevail, "Bow Down"

While most people pounded the table for NHL goalie prospect Jesper Wallstedt, my cousin praised goaltender Sebastian Cossa. With an extra 3 inches of height, the athletic Cossa contrasted Wallstedt in almost every conventionally measurable way. 

Wallstedt seemed calm, cool, and collected at all times, while Cossa played as a wild man with greater peaks and equally lower valleys. In accordance with their playing styles, Wallstedt was deemed the safest choice. Although he might not steal games as often, teams could rely on him, knowing exactly what to expect more often than not.

Cossa had the raw tools to become a superstar goaltender in the NHL, but consistency and his five-hole plagued him throughout his junior career. 

As the Detroit Red Wings traded up, everyone knew they were going for a goaltender.

Almost a certainty among the experts at the draft, Wallstedt would be the choice. Come on, the Detroit Red Wings and a Swede? 

Instead, the Detroit Red Wings stunned professional and amateur draft experts alike when they selected the monster from Hamilton, Ontario, in Canada. (Go figure, a cousin’s crazy theory was money.)

Frankly, I’m unsure if the Cossa or Moritz Seider pick at No. 6 overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft shocked more people. 

From 2021 through the beginning of this season, it seemed that the Detroit Red Wings might have made a mistake in picking Cossa over, as Wallstedt performed well in every conceivable league. From the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) to the American Hockey League (AHL), Wallstedt played like a rockstar.

Meanwhile, Cossa struggled at times and even spent 46 games in the ECHL last season, a step below the AHL (where Wallstedt was playing all season). Even to begin this 2023-24 campaign, Cossa didn’t come out of the gates on fire. 

Possibly a casualty of the Detroit Red Wings’ odd goaltending choices throughout the preseason, Cossa took about a quarter of the season to really make a push for the starting goaltender position for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. Even with his claim of the starter’s position, the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins seemed content splitting starts between Cossa and his veteran goaltending partner.

Beginning on January 19 and ending on April 5, Cossa caught on fire, boasting a 19-game point streak. Sadly, his franchise-setting streak (along with the Grand Rapids Griffins’ franchise-setting 19-game home point streak) came to an end. 

This journey saw Cossa flourish in his new, well-earned role with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Part of me hopes that Grand Rapids Griffins goaltending coach Roope Koistinen follows Cossa wherever he goes. Understandably, Cossa has put in the effort and has physically stopped the pucks to earn his history-breaking win streak, but I haven’t seen him so poised in his career.

At times, I see shades of some of my favorite goaltenders the Detroit Red Wings have iced in the last few years. 

First, I see a goaltender who views himself as a teammate, not someone who is separate from his team. Like Alex Nedeljkovic, Cossa wants to get involved in plays and, at times, is one of the best players at breaking pucks out of the defensive zone for the Grand Rapids Griffins. He makes hard, accurate, tape-to-tape passes to his teammates as far as the neutral zone. This guy loves making life hard on his opponents with poke checks or little plays that can go unnoticed unless someone’s paying close attention.

Second, Cossa doesn’t seem to get too down on himself, like Alex Lyon’s mental toughness. Whether it’s individual or team play that caused a flukey goal or an off-game, Cossa seems to regroup much better than in seasons past. This aspect, along with his five-hole, seems to have improved the most in his time with Koistinen.

Third, and my favorite Cossa characteristic is his attitude, which reminds me of Petr Mrazek at times. Although a complete gentleman off the ice (one of the most affable players with fans), Cossa turns into a Mr. Hyde on the ice and has to be one of the worst guys to play against. He backs down from no one and nothing. While this theory hasn’t been tested (as far as I’m aware), I think it will take more than one punch to knock Cossa out, unlike Mrazek, which is an added bonus in my book.

Of course, Cossa is his own player. He’s a unique blend of size, athleticism, and now confidence with a more closed five-hole!

As a goaltender, that’s all I can ever ask for, but if he can steal you a few games, he’s even better. I can’t tell you the last game that Cossa backstopped that got out of hand. Seemingly, the Grand Rapids Griffins have a chance every time he’s in the net. Even when Cossa or the team is not at their best, they still have a chance to get back in the game. As a goaltender, that’s all I can ever ask for, but if he can steal you a few games, then he’s even better. 

When I watch Cossa play, sometimes I joke that he’s going Coast to Coast, just like the radio show I listened to growing up, as he flies between the posts. (Somehow, post-to-post transformed into Coast-to-Coast in my mind, bringing me right back to my childhood).

Flying not only in between the pipes, Cossa seemingly does so all over the ice as he always skates with purpose. Although he can stray from the net and sometimes gets caught (these times are few and far between), his surprisingly quick skating brings him back to his net, and his wicked athleticism stops pucks, which he never should have had a chance at stopping. Seriously though, I’ve never seen a goaltender skate as well as Cossa does.

Cossa’s compete is up there with Moritz Seider, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond. He wants to beat his opponent and is as hungry for a win as any other player on the ice. Ruthless in any conceivable way and can smack talk with the best of them. Though, I’m not sure if this happens as often anymore as Cossa has matured a bit. (But maybe he does, and I miss it).

Cossa is even competitive in live jersey auctions after the game. While other players awkwardly stood there, Cossa actively engaged the crowd to earn the highest sale of the night, where his jersey sold for over $1,000.

Wallstedt may be a fantastic goalie for the Minnesota Wild in the near future. Truly, I’m rooting for the guy, especially if he stays in the other division of the NHL.

However, Cossa is making a name for himself and proving to Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper, and my cousin that their idea wasn’t so crazy after all.

Cossa might be one of the best young players that the Detroit Red Wings have in their system. With the likes of Raymond, Simon Edvinsson, Seider, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, it’s saying a lot. It’s a treat watching him develop before our eyes.

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