Things were not that busy among the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects in June, but we still have things to talk about. With all the hockey seasons now over, eyes will turn to the 2022-23 season and what is in store for these talented young prospects.
Here’s a look at what’s going on in this short but sweet edition of the Detroit Red Wings Prospect Report.
Sebastian Cossa Shines in WHL Championship
Sebastian Cossa and the Edmonton Oil Kings became Western Hockey League (WHL) Champions on June 13 after defeating the Seattle Thunderbirds in the Final. Cossa posted five shutouts through 19 tournament games and played a key role in his team’s success. With 37 goals against and a .919 save percentage, he was outstanding. He showed up for his team throughout the regular season as well as this postseason stretch.
However, the Memorial Cup Tournament did not go as planned for the Oil Kings, as they were eliminated from contention after finishing fifth in the round-robin round. Cossa still played his heart out and helped his team secure an overtime win. With a 1-2-0 record, 3.25 GAA, and a .908 SV%, he finished first (regarding SV% and GAA) among the five Memorial Cup goaltenders.
Now that he has finished another season in the WHL, what’s next for the young goaltender? Could Cossa be destined for the AHL or ECHL, or will he remain in the WHL for another season? There is no rush for him to get to the NHL, and it seems most likely that he will be with the Grand Rapids Griffins for the 2022-23 season. Ultimately, the Red Wings have an absolute star in Cossa, and it’s been fun watching him develop.
2022 US National Junior Evaluation Camp
The US National Junior Evaluation Camp will be held at USA Hockey Area in Plymouth, MI from July 24-Aug 3, and three familiar names were on the invite list. Shai Buium (Denver University), Carter Mazur (Denver University), and Red Savage (Miami University) are heading back to their roots for a chance to show off their skills and get some offseason work in.
Related: Red Wings Prospects Shine in Denver Pioneers’ NCAA Championship
Buium, Mazur, and Savage will be competing for roster spots against the 60 players invited to camp. John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the U.S. National Junior Team and assistant director of hockey operations, said, “It’s going to be a unique camp as we evaluate players for our National Junior Teams that will be competing in the August and December World Junior Championships.” Given that these three prospects continue to stand out amongst their peers, they will likely be representing the USA in August.
2022 World Juniors Are Back
The World Juniors are scheduled to take place August 9-22 in Edmonton after being postponed in December 2021 due to COVID-19. So far, there will be ten Red Wings prospects representing their respective countries as some rosters are still being tweaked and finalized:
- Austria: Marco Kasper
- Canada: Sebastian Cossa, Donovan Sebrango
- Czechia: Jan Bednar
- Finland: Eemil Viro
- Sweden: Simon Edvinsson, Theodor Niederbach, William Wallinder
- United States: Red Savage, Carter Mazur
Red Wings fans will have a lot of games to watch with prospects playing for six different countries, but, hey, who’s complaining? The tournament will give them a chance to shine at the international level and get some games played before the regular season begins. The World Juniors is a great way to see the best young prospects go head-to-head at a high level of competition.
Red Wings Looking Forward
Although there was not a ton of activity in June, news of the Red Wings prospects is guaranteed to heat up through July, with the 2022 NHL Draft bringing in a handful of new names. The Red Wings selected nine prospects, including the eighth-overall pick, Marco Kasper, and the organization’s development camp started on July 10.
It is always exciting to see new faces join the organization, and this year’s draft happened to add some very cool names to the Red Wings’ depth chart; Amadeus Lombardi might be the most incredible hockey name to grace this franchise. Although the draft might not have been as exciting or successful as many hoped, general manager Steve Yzerman saw something in each of these players that stood out to him.
We must, again, remember to trust in the Yzerplan and be excited about the team’s future. Adding Kasper into an already immensely talented prospect pool was a huge win for the Red Wings. He is arguably the best forward prospect alongside Jonatan Berggren, who has been the frontrunner for a while now. While he might not be ready to join the Red Wings this upcoming season, he is incredibly close. It’s almost time to start watching games again, so buckle up and get excited!
