The Edmonton Oilers need to find a goalie, and they could look to the Detroit Red Wings to find their franchise goalie.
Heavy.com has the Oilers acquiring Sebastian Cossa from the Red Wings in an intriguing move that would solidify the goalie position.
Oilers acquire:
Red Wings acquire:
- Mattias Ekholm
- 2026 second-round pick
- 2028 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster deal as Edmonton would acquire its franchise goalie and an NHL defenseman for a star defenseman and two draft picks.
A big part of the deal for the Oilers would be Cossa, who could come in and compete for the starting job and be Edmonton’s goalie of the future as well. Cossa was selected 15th overall in 2021 and is one of the top goalie prospects in hockey. However, he doesn’t have a path to playing time, so Detroit could look to move him.
In the AHL last season, Cossa went 21-15-5 with a 2.45 GAA and a .911 SV%. He did appear in 1 NHL game, getting the win, going 2.67 GAA and a .857 SV%.
Edmonton would also get Holl, who can be a third-pairing defenseman and help replace the void of Ekholm. Detroit also gets off Holl’s contract, which is key.
In return, the Oilers would give up two draft picks and Ekholm, who would be a top-pairing defenseman for Detroit. Ekholm is entering the final year of his four-year, $25 million deal. He recorded 9 goals and 24 assists for 33 points in 65 games. He would be a shutdown defense for Detroit and help solidify the blue line.
Oilers Need to Find a Starting Goalie
In the proposed trade, Edmonton would acquire Cossa to be their franchise goalie and solidify the position for years to come.
Cossa is just 22 and would form a tandem with Stuart Skinner this season and likely be the full-time starter in 2026. After Skinner and Calvin Pickard struggled at times this season, Oilers’ general manager Stan Bowman hinted at making some changes in net.
“Well, the evaluation isn’t something you do just once or twice and then it’s over with. When I say that, it’s not just looking at the goaltending we have, but also what’s out there and options,” Bowman said. “So it’s going to be a process that we’re going to go through. I don’t think we’re going to come to a decision tomorrow or the next day. It’s really about taking in the information, and eventually, we’re going to settle on the thing that we think makes the most sense…
“Part of the evaluation is the guys that we have, and if it makes the most sense to keep this group, that’s certainly a possibility. So I don’t know. We’re not at the point where we’re saying we’re definitely bringing in new goalies,” Bowman added.
Cossa would not only be an upgrade now, but also for the long term, and solidify the goalie position for years to come.
Red Wings Expect Cossa to Compete for Backup Job
Detroit traded for John Gibson this offseason to be their starter and still has Cam Talbot under contract.
However, Grand Rapids Griffins – the AHL team of the Red Wings – head coach Dan Watson believes Cossa could take the backup job.
“He’s committed, dedicated, he wants to get better, he wants to be the guy, whether it’s in Grand Rapids, I know he’s gonna be challenging mentally for a spot in Detroit,” Watson said to The Hockey News. “We’re looking for him to take that next step and be a good starting goaltender for us in Grand Rapids, If not, he’s going to be in Detroit.”
If he doesn’t make the NHL, he will be back starting in the AHL next season.
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