The Detroit Red Wings keep showing up on NHL insiders’ radars this offseason. This time around, though, the rumor is an unusual one. The Edmonton Oilers are, apparently, targeting Red Wings goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa. Cam Robinson on “Sekeres and Price” mentioned Edmonton’s interest in Detroit’s goaltenders.
“They’re looking a little more long-term,” Robinson said regarding the Oilers. “They’ve got their field of vision a little bit wider here. I was told that they’ve contacted Detroit. I believe the first person they asked about was Trey Augustine, and I think that that was just a nonstarter. Steve Yzerman and company really, really love that kid, and as they should.
“But they have a 6’6, 6’7 former first-rounder in Sebastian Cossa sitting there who’s slowly been progressing up the way… They’re not soured on him by any means, but I think maybe they’re hoping that he’d be quicker along the path. The fact that they have Augustine there in the Red Wing system allows him to potentially be an expendable chip.”
Why the Oilers Want Cossa
Cossa, selected 15th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, is steadily developing for the Red Wings. In the last two seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Cossa has a 43-24-14 record with a 2.43 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. He was ranked the eighth best goaltending prospect by The Athletic.
As of right now, the Oilers are heading back into the season with a goaltending tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. While Pickard posted a 7-1 record with a .892 save percentage, Skinner produced an abysmal 7-7 record with a .889 save percentage. To put it simply, the Oilers want to prioritize goaltending. They’ve made it to the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row and come up short both times. An upgrade between the pipes could make all the difference for the win-now Oilers.
Red Wings Have All the Bargaining Power
Robinson hammers home that the Red Wings are securely in the driver’s seat with this potential trade. “There’s no pinch point for Detroit, though. They don’t have to move this guy,” he said. “He’s still young.”
The Red Wings have all the advantage with negotiations. “They have his rights for years yet, but if Edmonton does want to get themselves someone that they can tag as, ‘Here’s our goal of the future that maybe is only a year, two years away,’ he’d be a great bet to go on,” Robinson added on.
The biggest roadblock in the way of a Cossa trade is the return price. The Oilers land among the weaker prospect pools in the NHL. As far as NHL talent goes, they’re in too precarious of a spot to budge. They do have their 2027 and 2028 first round picks. Still, it remains to be seen if Yzerman is interested in acquiring more draft picks. After all, the Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs in nine years. It’s hard to imagine they’ll continue that trend over the near future.
If the Oilers truly have their eyes set on Cossa, they’ll need to pay a hefty price.
Top Team in West Targeting Red Wings Goaltender