Last night, the Detroit Red WIngs saw their opportunity and took it. They traded goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall pick, which they quickly used to select left wing/center J.P. Hurlbert.
On paper, this may appear frustrating; Cossa was selected 15th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. The Red Wings liked him so much they actually traded up to get him. Having said that, the runway for Cossa to both make the roster and be an impact player was growing smaller by the day.
In the blink of an eye, Cossa went from the team's top goaltending prospect to an afterthought in the Calder Cup playoffs.
In practice, moving on from Cossa - and recouping a first round pick - is about as big of a win as general manager Steve Yzerman could've gotten.
Why the Red Wings were right to move Cossa
While it's true that goaltenders take longer to develop, at 23 years of age, Cossa has yet to take any serious step at the NHL level. It's been five years since Cossa was drafted, and, in that time, he's played one single career NHL game as a reliever.
That isn't to say that Cossa is a bad goaltender by any means, of course, He's got the tools needed to be a legitimate starter. Last season, he faded down the stretch and quickly lost his starting role to undrafted goaltender Michal Postava. Postava took the role and ran with it, posting an impressive .937 save percentage and a jaw-dropping 1.37 goals against average.
Trey Augustine, who the Red Wings selected 41st overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, looks to be the starter in Grand Rapids for the foreseeable future. Postava appears NHL bound. Rudy Guimond, a sixth round pick in 2023, was elected a CHL All Star and committed to Harvard for the 2026-27 season.
It's no secret that the Red Wings have a bevy of great goaltenders at their disposal. It's likely that, given the glut of goaltending prospects, Yzerman decided Cossa was the odd man out.
Red Wings used Cossa pick to select high skill forward
The pick the Red Wings obtained from the Cossa trade makes things even better. J.P. Hurlbert, who won Rookie of the Year in the WHL, finished off last season with 97 points in 68 games with the Kamloops Blazers. He led all WHL rookies in goals (42) and points. The flashy forward has already committed to the University of Michigan next season, where he'll play alongside Montreal Canadiens top prospect Michael Hage and fellow draft mate Adam Valentini.
The Red Wings have needed a high skill forward in their prospect pool for some time. Selecting Hurlbert is the perfect way for the Wings to swing for the fences without getting too risky. That said, Hurlbert still needs to work on his skating, but, fortunately, skating is one of the most coachable skills in the NHL.
With head coach Brandon Naurato at the helm, Hurlbert will spend next season refining every aspect of his game until he's NHL ready.
Cossa, as stated earlier, absolutely has the tools to be an NHL netminder. But, at this point in his career, two goalies in Detroit's pipeline have leapfrogged him. A fresh start will be good for both parties.
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