Fair expectations set on the Detroit Red Wings goaltender pipeline
The Detroit Red Wings have struggled to find a reliable starting goaltender, with their season-long save percentage below the league average in 10 of the last 11 NHL seasons.
The team has cycled through goalies like Petr Mrazek, Jonathan Bernier, James Reimer, and Alex Nedeljkovic without success. In the 2021 NHL Draft, the Red Wings selected Sebastian Cossa with the 15th overall pick, hoping to solve this issue. With his impressive size and athleticism, Cossa showed promise but faced development challenges, including a stint in the ECHL.
In the 2023 Draft, Detroit added Trey Augustine, a technically sound and poised goaltender, to complement Cossa. Despite his smaller size, Augustine has shown great potential with strong performances in the NCAA and international play. Both goalies are on different developmental paths, with Cossa needing more time in the AHL and Augustine continuing to hone his skills at Michigan State University.
The Red Wings plan to have Cossa in the AHL for another season before considering him for an NHL role. At the same time, Augustine is expected to transition to professional play after another year in college. This timeline suggests that Cossa could become a full-time NHL goalie by the 2026-27 season, followed by Augustine in 2027-28. Patience will be crucial as both prospects continue to develop, aiming to become Detroit's goaltending tandem of the future.
Source: YardBarker
Red Wings' Goaltending Pipeline: Setting Fair Expectations
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Detroit Red Wings pipeline is better than before? | ||
| Yes | 60 | 90.9 % |
| No | 6 | 9.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
