Following their first-round elimination at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks, the Edmonton Oilers enter what many view as the most important offseason of the Connor McDavid era. With McDavid committed on a short-term extension, general manager Stan Bowman faces enormous pressure to make the most of a narrowing championship window.
There is no shortage of issues to address, but one area stands above the rest: goaltending. That need has fueled speculation linking the Oilers to Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa. However, one Edmonton insider is not buying into the idea.
No Momentum Behind a Sebastian Cossa Move, per Oilers Insider
The Oilers struggled badly in goal last season. After moving on from Stuart Skinner and bringing in Tristan Jarry, Edmonton hoped Jarry and Connor Ingram would provide stability in the net. Instead, both goalies struggled, and the team finished with a .878 save percentage, one of the worst marks in the NHL.
With Ingram set to become an unrestricted free agent and Bowman openly saying changes are needed in goal, Cossa has become a popular trade target. The 23-year-old has plenty of potential and, as a restricted free agent this summer, would be an affordable option for a cap-strapped Oilers team.
Still, Oilers insider Bob Stauffer quickly cooled the speculation. Reading a fan message on his show that suggested Edmonton trade Darnell Nurse and Ike Howard for Cossa, Stauffer responded bluntly: “I don’t see that happening.”
That short response was enough to signal that there is little indication of serious traction between the two clubs.
The connection is understandable. Cossa remains a familiar figure in Edmonton after starring for the Oil Kings and helping the franchise capture a WHL championship in 2022. His success in the city has naturally led many fans to wonder whether a reunion could make sense.
However, the Oilers have been down this road before. They have learned some hard lessons from previous attempts to bring former Oil Kings players back into the organization. The Griffin Reinhart trade remains one of the franchise’s most criticized moves, while the recent Jarry acquisition also failed to deliver the results Edmonton expected.
Cossa is also still unproven at the NHL level. Despite being one of Detroit’s top prospects, he has played just one NHL game. Asking a young goalie to step into the pressure-filled environment of Edmonton, where the expectation is to win now with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, would be a major gamble.
Detroit is also expected to want a significant return, possibly a second-round pick or an NHL regular. After their last goaltending gamble failed to pay off, Bowman may be hesitant to spend assets on another unproven goalie.
At least for now, it appears there is little traction behind the idea of Cossa landing in Edmonton, though the Oilers will circle back on trying to move Darnell Nurse’s $9.25M cap hit this summer.
