Sebastian Cossa Is the NHL's Hottest Trade Rumor: What the Detroit Red Wings Want in Return
He was drafted 15th overall, ranked as the top goalie prospect in hockey, and has played exactly one NHL game. Now Sebastian Cossa is sitting at the centre of the summer's most talked-about trade rumor, and Detroit has made their asking price clear.
- Hockey insider Frank Seravalli has listed Cossa as the sixth player on his NHL Trade Board, reporting that Detroit's asking price is primarily a roster player who can help them right now, though GM Steve Yzerman would also consider a second-round draft pick.
- The Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers have both emerged as potential trade partners, with Edmonton needing a long-term goaltending solution and Philadelphia looking for an upgrade over Sam Ersson, who posted a 3.12 GAA and .870 save percentage in 33 games.
- Cossa, 23, must either make Detroit's NHL roster for 2026-27 or be traded this summer. He would need to clear waivers to return to the AHL, and there is zero chance he passes through unclaime
The NHL rumour mill runs hot every May, but few names have generated as much genuine debate this offseason as Sebastian Cossa. A 6-foot-7 goaltender who was supposed to be the future in Detroit, ranked first among goalie prospects by The Athletic, and has one NHL appearance to his name. The gap between reputation and opportunity has created a situation that cannot go on, and both sides of the Cossa conversation know it.
Why Detroit Is Moving On
When the Red Wings drafted Cossa 15th overall in 2021, he was immediately branded the franchise's goalie of the future. Five years on, the path to the NHL in Detroit has closed entirely. John Gibson is locked in as the starter. Trey Augustine is coming through the system, and Michal Postava made the situation more complicated by outplaying Cossa down the stretch this season and earning the starting nod for all of Grand Rapids' AHL playoff games.
The decision not to start Cossa in any of the Griffins' eight playoff games sparked considerable debate and accelerated the trade speculation. Seravalli placed him sixth on his NHL Trade Board, noting that Yzerman wants a player who helps Detroit now in return, with a second-round pick only as a fallback option.
Cossa's numbers have never been the problem. He posted a 26-8-4 record with a .915 save percentage in Grand Rapids this past season and is a two-time AHL All-Star. The problem is purely structural. There is simply no room for him, and next season the situation gets worse. He would need to clear waivers to go back to the AHL in 2026-27, and every team in the league would claim him if he did. Detroit has run out of road.
Who Is in the Running to Trade for Him
Two teams have emerged as the most credible suitors. Edmonton is the more obvious fit. The Oilers have reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and lost both times to the Florida Panthers, with goaltending widely identified as the reason. Cossa grew up playing junior hockey for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL, and with Connor McDavid's prime years not getting any longer, GM Stan Bowman is looking for a long-term answer between the pipes.
The asking price is viewed as manageable for Edmonton, with Seravalli floating a second-round pick or a roster player as the cost. The catch is that Cossa has limited NHL experience, and stepping onto a Stanley Cup contender immediately would carry real pressure.