Sebastian Cossa’s status as the Detroit Red Wings’ goalie of the future is now a thing of the past.

GM Steve Yzerman ended Cossa’s Detroit career before it began Friday by trading him to the Utah Mammoth for a first-round pick (No. 23). The Red Wings used the pick to select University of Michigan-bound left wing J.P. Hurlbert who was named Western Hockey League Rookie of Year after producing 42 goals and 55 assists for 97 points for Kamloops.

Drafted 15th overall in 2021, Cossa played a total of 45 minutes for Detroit, winning a relief effort against the Buffalo Sabres in 2024-25. The 6-foot-7 goalie played well in four full minor-league seasons. He played one season for the Toledo Walleye in the ECHL and three for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL. Cossa, 23, never showed a season goals-against average above 2.56 or a save percentage below .911.

“I think he definitely grew up over the last couple years of playing in Grand Rapids and had some, obviously good games,” Detroit assistant general manager Kris Draper said. “And, he ended up being an American League all-star in back-to-back seasons. It just ended up that it was just something that didn’t quite work out for us.”

But the Red Wings signed young Czech goalie Michal Postava last summer after he won a Czech League championship. He is only nine months older than Cossa and this season he simply posted a better season. Postava’s regular season GAA was 1.71 and his save percentage was .937. In 33 combined games in the regular-season and playoffs, Postava only gave up more than three goals once.

Postava Beat Out Cossa

When the Red Wings and Griffins decided Postava would be the Griffins playoff goalie, Cossa’s fate was probably determined. He certainly wasn’t happy about the decision. Postava was ahead of him on the depth chart, making him the favorite to be Detroit’s backup goalie next season. Postava has shown himself to be more consistent than Cossa and less prone to bad goals.

Since Cossa is no longer waiver exempt, he would have to clear waivers to be sent back to Grand Rapids.

“You want to put him in the best situation and hoping that he was going to be able to become a Detroit Red Wing,” Draper said, “but it’s professional sports and sometimes those things don’t work out.”

The Red Wings took Cossa ahead of the higher rated Jesper Wallstedt in the 2021 draft. Since then, Cossa has been considered a top young goalie prospect. He was ranked as the NHL’s third-best goalie prospect (No. 20 overall) on TSN’s recent list of Top 50 Affiliated prospects. Another Detroit goalie Trey Augustine was No. 1 followed by Pittsburgh prospect Sergei Murashov and then Cossa

Had the Red Wings put Cossa through waivers next fall, he likely would have been claimed. By trading Cossa, the Red Wings recoup the first round pick they used to draft him.