Edmonton Oilers are obvious trade fit for ex-Oil Kings goalie Sebastian Cossa
Could the Edmonton Oilers once again go back to a former Oil Kings player to help fix the goaltending?
Edmonton has long had a fascination with bringing in ex-Oil Kings players into the organization. Griffin Reinhart was a notorious example back in 2015, and the team brought in Curtis Lazar as a free agent last summer.
The biggest move involving an ex-Oil Kings player, however, was trading for Tristan Jarry last year to help shake up the crease. The Oilers gave up Stuart Skinner to get the deal done, and Jarry almost immediately imploded after arriving in Edmonton.
It’s a strategy that has never paid off big for the Oilers, but they might have an opportunity to do it again with Sebastian Cossa, who is likely to be moved by the Detroit Red Wings this summer.
Oh my! Sebastian Cossa!!!
What. A. Save.#gogrg #lgrw #ahl pic.twitter.com/59QwbZ19WA
— y-Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) February 8, 2026
The 23-year-old Cossa is a former 2021 first-round draft pick of the Red Wings, who spent his junior hockey playing for the Oil Kings between 2019 and 2022. Since turning pro, Cossa has struggled to break into the NHL, appearing in just one game with the Red Wings during the 2024-25 season.
That is despite posting excellent numbers with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, where he had a 26-8-4 record and a .915 save percentage this past season. So, why is Detroit likely to move on from Cossa this summer? There doesn’t appear to be a path to the NHL for him.
It’s true that the ex-Oil Kings netminder remains one of the best goalie prospects in hockey, but the Red Wings also have fellow goalies Trey Augustine and Michal Postava coming up in the system. Combine that with John Gibson pencilled in as Detroit’s starter, and you’ve got a logjam with Cossa the odd-man out.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli speculated that the asking price for Cossa could be either a second-round draft pick or a roster player, something that is very doable for the Oilers.
There is no doubt that Cossa would be a risk for the Oilers. He has limited NHL experience, and stepping onto a Stanley Cup contender like Edmonton would be intimidating. It’s more likely he’d arrive in the Alberta capital in a backup or platoon role, rather than a clear-cut starter.
Edmonton would also need to ink Cossa to a new contract, as he is an RFA this summer. Considering he has yet to break into the NHL, a new deal shouldn’t be too expensive.
There is a very obvious fit between the Oilers and Cossa, but it takes two to figure out a trade, and Detroit would need to be willing to part with their once-prized prospect.