The Utah Mammoth have locked in Sebastian Cossa on a two-year contract with a $2 million cap hit, signaling a clear plan for the newly acquired goaltender.
Cossa was coming off his three-year entry-level deal, which carried an $863,334 cap hit, and had become a restricted free agent. Even with only one NHL appearance on his resume - which came during the 2024-25 season - the new contract reflects the value attached to one of the league’s top goaltending prospects.
The deal is straightforward: a clean $2 million salary in each season, no signing bonuses, and no clauses. Since it only covers RFA years, the contract comes with no trade protections. His comparables are Yaroslav Askarov and Carter Hart.
The contract also makes the Mammoth’s plan look pretty obvious. Cossa is expected to be part of the NHL roster alongside Karel Vejmelka. Vejmelka has started at least 50 games in four of his five NHL seasons, including 58 and 64 in the last two years, so even if Utah doesn’t use a full 1A/1B setup, Cossa should still take pressure off the workload.
Utah landed Cossa from the Detroit Red Wings at the 2026 NHL Draft, sending the 23rd overall pick the other way. Detroit used that selection on J.P. Hurlbert.
Cossa arrives after his strongest AHL season, when he went 26-8-4 with a .915 save percentage and five shutouts. But he lost the starting job for the playoffs to Michal Postava, and that fueled rumors that the Red Wings were open to moving him, especially with Trey Augustine also in the organization.
In Other News...
Red Wings Free Agency Could Force Yzerman Into A Tough Scoring Bet
The free-agent market the Red Wings are likely to face next summer may not offer the kind of easy scoring fix teams sometimes hope for. With much of the top 2026 class already spoken for, Detroits options could narrow to a handful of players who bring either some offensive upside, some pedigree, or both, but none comes without a degree of uncertainty.
That is why the speculation around possible fits matters for Steve Yzermans club, because adding scoring help may require a bet on someone whose value is not entirely clear-cut. Whether the answer comes from a younger scorer still trying to establish himself, a familiar face with Detroit ties, or a former elite talent looking to rebuild his market, the Red Wings may have to decide just how much risk they are willing to take to patch a lineup need. [Read more 🡒]
This Free Agent Could Fix A Red Wings Problem Fast
With cap space available and a need to keep chipping away at the roster, the Red Wings are at least positioned to be active when free agency opens. One name that makes sense for a team looking to add some immediate stability is a winger who has quietly put together back-to-back seasons of reliable two-way play, including solid offense without sacrificing work away from the puck.
He would not be coming in as a headline-grabbing splash, but the appeal is obvious for a club trying to deepen its lineup and tighten up the edges of its game. The catch is that a player with that kind of recent track record should draw plenty of attention if he reaches the market, which could turn a sensible fit into a competitive chase for Detroit. [Read more 🡒]