Red Wings netminder Cam Talbot is ready to return from his lower-body injury and is expected to start tomorrow in Philadelphia, Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News reports. As such, rookie Sebastian Cossa’s services were no longer required on the active roster and he was reassigned to AHL Grand Rapids, the team announced.
Talbot, 37, missed four games with the injury, which he sustained midway through an eventual overtime loss to the Canucks on Dec. 1. Detroit was already without No. 2 option Alex Lyon, who remains on injured reserve with a lower-body issue, forcing them to summon Cossa to complement veteran third-stringer Ville Husso for the time being. Husso will stay around for a while yet as Talbot’s backup until Lyon is ready to return.
While a few of the moves that Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman made this summer appear to be backfiring, signing Talbot isn’t one of them. The 12-year veteran has arguably been the Red Wings’ most valuable player in 2024-25, posting a .915 SV% and 2.73 GAA in 15 appearances behind a Detroit team that’s allowing 30.9 shots per game, fifth-worst in the league. Talbot’s 10.1 goals saved above expected rank fifth behind Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (16.8), Anaheim’s Lukáš Dostál (14.0), Utah’s Karel Vejmelka (13.2), and Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson (12.6), per MoneyPuck.
The Red Wings, who need a serious winning streak to put themselves back in playoff contention, are certainly happy to get that level of play back between the pipes. Husso has floundered often in his six starts and one relief appearance this year, posting a .870 SV% and 3.74 GAA while allowing 7.6 goals above expected. He most recently allowed three goals on seven shots against the Sabres on Monday before being pulled, leading to Cossa’s NHL debut. The 22-year-old Cossa, who the Wings selected 15th overall in the 2021 draft, made 12 saves on 14 shots en route to a comeback 6-5 shootout win.
More development time isn’t a bad thing for the 6’6″, 209-lb netminder, but Cossa has taken a demonstrable step forward with Grand Rapids this season. Now in his third professional campaign, the 2022 World Juniors gold medalist has a sparkling 2.21 GAA and .925 SV% in 14 appearances with a 9-4-1 record. He’s on track to clear the career-best 2.41 and .913 marks he set with Grand Rapids last season.
The Red Wings’ active roster count stands at 21 with $4.31MM in cap space after Cossa’s demotion, per PuckPedia. Talbot was never placed on injured reserve, so no transaction is required to make him available for tomorrow’s game.
The one exciting thing this year was Cossa getting called up. This Yzerplan is not moving fast enough.
Why!!!! Trade Lyon cut Husso again and pair Cossa with Talbot give the kid some minutes. Our farm system is ranked high cause they spend 10 years down there.
You mean like keeping Berggren there all year last year?