DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today assigned goaltender Sebastian Cossa to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
Cossa, 22, won his NHL debut on Dec. 9 against the Buffalo Sabres, stopping 12-of-14 shots in relief before turning away 2-of-3 shootout attempts. The 6-foot-6, 222-pound goaltender became the first goaltender in NHL history to win his debut via shootout in relief. Cossa has also posted a 9-4-1 record with a 2.21 goals-against average, a 0.925 save percentage and one shutout in 14 appearances with the Griffins to begin the 2024-25 season. Cossa spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the Griffins, logging a 22-9-9 record with a 2.41 goals-against average, a 0.913 save percentage and two shutouts in 40 regular-season games. Cossa also finished 5-4 with a 2.72 goals-against average and a 0.900 save percentage in nine Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Griffins reach the Central Division Finals. Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (15th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Cossa has compiled a 32-14-10 record with a 2.49 goals-against average, a 0.911 save percentage and three shutouts in 57 AHL games with the Griffins. He also showed a 26-16-4 record with a 2.56 goals-against average, a 0.913 save percentage and four shutouts in 46 appearances with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye in 2022-23, representing the Western Conference at the 2023 ECHL All-Star Game.
Prior to turning professional, Cossa spent three seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2019-22, posting a 71-16-7 record with a 2.12 goals-against average, a 0.921 save percentage and 14 shutouts in 98 appearances. Cossa backstopped the Oil Kings to a WHL championship in 2022, earning a place on the Central Division’s First All-Star Team. During the 2020-21 season, Cossa authored a 17-1-1 record and led the WHL in goals-against average (1.57) and save percentage (0.941), while tying for the league lead with four shutouts. Cossa also played three seasons with the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers in the Alberta minor hockey ranks from 2016-19, earning a league championship in addition to Top Goaltender and Most Valuable Player honors in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League in 2016-17. On the international stage, Cossa won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording a victory in his only appearance at the tournament. The Hamilton, Ont., native also played in two games with Canada White at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
