Red Wings top goaltending prospect joins Griffins

It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

Nope, it’s another stellar goaltender jumping into Grand Rapids. 

Since their returning from the Olympic break, the Detroit Red Wings have left a lot to be desired. Bad goals. Missed shots on net. Poor play at five-on-five. Injured centers.

While we can wallow in the sorrows of another missed playoff run, hope is on the horizon. 

Red Wings boast a strong goaltending pipeline

A strong prospect pool (even after trading our first round pick this year for Justin Faulk—I’m honestly more upset about losing Dmitri Buchelnikov) is something we can all enjoy.

Former first round pick Sebastian Cossa and free agent signing Michael Postava have taken turns this season with the Grand Rapids Griffins commanding the net. When called upon, Carter Gylander, a late-round 2019 draft selection, has played confidently and effectively, as well. Plus, fellow prospect Rudy Guimond is making waves, too, playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Next season, he’s off to Harvard, so Red Wings fans likely won’t see him in the Winged Wheel for a while.

In the meantime, Cossa and Postava (along with Gylander) have kept Griffins (and Toledo Walleye) fans ecstatic with their play.

Contrary to their parent club, the Griffins goaltenders give nothing but confidence to their skaters. Even in the off goal (or games), everyone sticks together.

Coaching speaks highly of Red Wings goaltending prospects

The voice of the Griffins, Bob Kaser, interviewed head coach Dan Watson about the impeccable goaltending play in the middle of the season that was shared in the middle of a game. Watson mentioned that it’s a team effort.

Practices are designed to be difficult. As challenging as a game, if not more so, players are determined to improve. Shooters have to work for their goals as both Cossa and Postava hate giving up goals in any context. This, in turn, improves the shooters and their mechanics. Iron sharpens iron. In this case, the goalies sharpen the shooters and the shooters sharpen the goalies. 

Realistically, the Detroit Red Wings probably have something similar for their practices established, but Grand Rapids seems to be on a different level. 

Their goaltending coach, Roope Koistinen, seems to have a magic fairy dust as it seems any goaltender under his wing excels. I’ve asked on more than one occasion for the Red Wings to recall Koistinen because of how well he’s performed in Grand Rapids. 

Now, he gets to work with newcomer, Trey Augustine.

Trey Augustine joins the Grand Rapids Griffins

As the Grand Rapids Griffins chase the only thing left to chase in the American Hockey League (AHL), the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy (the best record in the league), they get even more help in net (even if the help wasn’t needed). 

For those fans who think that Watson has had an easy season because of all the stellar players in his arsenal, I agree to an extent, but at the same time he has a challenging job.

Who does he play? When do they play? For how long? How do you keep everyone fresh?

In the AHL, they have wild schedules. Sometimes, they play three games in three nights (with travel after the first and second games). Then, they’ll go on a break without playing another game in excess of a week. Any player would be forgiven if their rhythm is thrown off or they are exhausted from the craziness. 

In all that chaos, Watson has to be meticulous about who is sitting, and as importantly, who is playing. 

No positions are more vital for hockey than a goalie.

There’s that old saying, goaltending might make up 70% of a win, but it can make up 100% of a loss. So far, Watson is masterfully pulling the right strings at the right time. That's why adding Augustine is a blessing and curse to this rotation. Augustine isn’t signing to play in Toledo (much to the dismay of Walleye fans everywhere). Cossa and Postava aren’t going anywhere, either, except maybe to Detroit (if an injury occurs). 

Augustine will likely ease into games. His focus will be acclimating to professional life, Grand Rapids, and getting ready to steal the starter’s job next season for the Griffins.

Griffins preparing for final regular season push

The Griffins have five games remaining for the regular season. 

Two are home games (this Friday and Saturday), then the remaining three are Wednesday in Iowa, Friday (April 17) in Milwaukee, and Sunday (April 19) they finish the regular season in Cleveland. 

Resting any and all players is a key advantage. With busy February and March schedules, Cossa and Postava might welcome the relaxation. At the same time, it’s important that nobody grows stale on the shelf. I reckon Augustine starts two-to-three of the final five games (depending on how the first game or two play out). Then, Watson gets the fun choice of who starts game one of the playoffs.

Even playoff schedules are brutal with many having back-to-back or two games in three nights, having three goalies that can be trusted well is a gift. I have nothing but faith in Watson that he will make the right choices (or update game plans as needed, if a change is warranted).

Although Cossa has the pedigree, it’s worth noting that the most recently recalled goaltender was Postava. 

Postava boasts a stingy 1.78 goals against average (GAA) and an eye-popping .935 save percentage (SV%) in 21 games played this season. If Postava played enough games this season, he would be ranked first in GAA and SV% in the AHL. 

On the other hand, Cossa sits in fourth for both GAA and SV% with 2.26 and 0.918 respectively over 37 games played this season. 

Take these stats for Augustine with a grain of salt as they are for the college ranks as opposed to a professional men’s league. Yet, they are still worth noting: 2.11 GAA and .929 SV% in 34 games played. 

Watson gets to choose from a place of comfort and strength.

It’s a welcome change from grinding one goalie into dust each season, then hoping the other one can make a few big stops at the biggest point in the season only to suffer disappointment.

Trey Augustine, in this case, will be a breath of fresh air.