Goaltender Sebastian Cossa was a larger-than-life player in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Standing 6-foot-6, he towered over most players at that time and was a man among boys. His game was above most others and stood tall between the pipes, giving the opposition nothing to shoot at. His dream of being drafted in the NHL happened later on, and now his dream of playing in the NHL is on track. What happened to Sebastian Cossa?
Griffins’ Cossa Keeping the Dream Alive
Cossa was drafted 36th overall in the 2017 WHL bantam draft by the Edmonton Oil Kings. During his rookie season with Edmonton, he opened some eyes with a 21-6-3 record and a .921 save percentage in 33 games. During the 2020/21 season, he led the league in goals against average (1.57), save percentage (.941), and shutouts (4), while being a finalist for the WHL Goaltender of the Year award. He led the Oil Kings to the best record in the league by sporting a 17-1-1 record of his own.
His play with Edmonton caught the attention of NHL scouts, but the Detroit Red Wings drafted Cossa 15th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. He would then sign a three-year, entry-level contract, and his dream was realized.
Cossa would make his professional debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL) on October 19, 2022, and made 21 saves to earn the win, 3-2, against the Milwaukee Admirals.
While his debut was sensational, he was reassigned to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL on October 20, 2022. On January 21, 2023, he earned his first professional shutout in a 5-0 shutout against the Iowa Heartlanders. After a disastrous start in the ECHL. Cossa turned his game around before the start of 2023, and his game took off. He was dominant in the second half of the season and put his name out there as the best goaltender in the Red Wings system.
His 2022/23 season for the Walleye was one for the record books. At one point during the season, Toledo won an incredible 18 straight games and Cossa won 10 straight on his own during that streak. It was during that time he was untouchable, and there was nobody better in minor league hockey between the pipes. His bad start was in the past, and he was focused on becoming the goaltender Detroit hoped for when they drafted him. His first pro season in Toledo saw him post a record of 26-16-4, a 2.46 GAA, a .913 save percentage, and four shutouts in 46 games.
His incredible rookie season gave him a chance to earn the opportunity with the Griffins. He attended the Red Wings rookie and developmental camp during the off-season and was assigned to Grand Rapids before the start of the AHL season. It took him a bit to adjust to the style of play in the league but, like his time in Toledo, he made the necessary adjustments and transformed his game to what the organization was looking for. This season for the Griffins, he is 13-7-6 with a .908 save percentage in 26 games, splitting time with Michael Hutchinson.
Cossa continues to shine between the pipes for Grand Rapids. He has come far in his development in a short time and worked at becoming a better overall goaltender. He was successful in the WHL with the Oil Kings. He was successful in the ECHL with Toledo and has been successful with Grand Rapids of the AHL. Regardless of the league, he has shown promise at every level and has exceeded expectations wherever he has played. With the goaltending situation uncertain with the Red Wings, he may be making his way to Detroit sooner than later.
