Elliotte Friedman confirms the Edmonton Oilers are finalizing a blockbuster trade
Photo credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
The Edmonton Oilers are finalizing a deal for Sebastian Cossa, but the trade itself is an admission that the real goaltending solution hasn't arrived yet.
Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet 650 Monday night that the Cossa deal with the Detroit Red Wings is being finalized.
The 23-year-old was a first-round pick in 2021 and spent three WHL seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings before turning pro.
The framing around this deal has centered on Edmonton addressing its crease problems.
Tristan Jarry posted an .882 save percentage in 33 games this season, and Connor Ingram was only marginally better at .898 in 32 starts.
Cossa is 6-foot-6 and carries legitimate upside, but he has appeared in exactly one NHL game with Detroit.
He spent most of 2025-26 in the AHL with Grand Rapids, and he enters the summer as a restricted free agent without a contract.
Stan Bowman's goaltending plan requires a second move
Acquiring Cossa signals that Bowman is building a long-term pipeline rather than plugging the immediate hole.
A prospect with one game of NHL experience is not the answer for a team that just watched Connor McDavid produce 138 points and still couldn't survive the playoffs.
Edmonton needs a proven starter to pair alongside Cossa's development timeline. The real trade, the one that actually determines whether this roster can contend next spring, hasn't happened yet.
Detroit's pipeline made the decision easy for Yzerman
Steve Yzerman moved Cossa because he could afford to. John Gibson handled 57 games at a .902 save percentage this season, giving Detroit a functional crease without needing a prospect who was blocked from opportunity.
Frank Seravalli confirmed on Oilers Now that Cossa was the sixth-ranked player on his trade board and that he expected a move.
Yzerman sold at peak value before another AHL season eroded the return.
The Oilers got their prospect. The question Edmonton fans should be asking is who starts Game 1 in October, because it won't be Cossa.
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Edmonton Oilers reportedly acquire the goalie they once tried to draft: Announcement expected per sources
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