The Detroit Red Wings made a Russian draft-night move on Friday, trading Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd pick in the NHL Draft and using that selection on JP Hurlbert. Cossa, 23, had still not made his first NHL start in Detroit, even after years in the organization.
Kris Draper framed the exit as the end of a long development run. “(Cossa) was a great prospect for us,” Draper said. “We really invested a lot of time and felt that Sebastian obviously continued to grow, and he did get better, and he came to the rink, he was a pro.” Draper added, “I think he definitely grew up over the last couple years of playing in Grand Rapids, and had some good games, and ended up being an American League All-Star in back-to-back season.”
Detroit Red Wings and the 23rd pick
The pick gave the Red Wings a direct way back into the first round after they entered Day 1 without a scheduled selection. Detroit used that first-round position on Hurlbert, changing the shape of the prospect pool in one move and moving a goalie prospect out of Hockeytown at the same time. For readers tracking the draft board, the key change is simple: Detroit turned one asset into another, then used the new pick immediately rather than holding it for later.
Topps lists Alex Russo in $69.99 2026 Mega Box on a separate market note, but Detroit’s focus stayed on the draft floor and the first-round reset.
Sebastian Cossa leaves Grand Rapids
Cossa’s departure closes a path that began when Detroit traded up to select him at No. 15 in 2021, five years ago. He became a two-time AHL All-Star with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but his starting job in the playoffs went to undrafted Michal Postava, and Trey Augustine turned pro this spring and was also pushing for playing time. That left Detroit with a crowded future in net and a harder choice about where the next starts would come from.
The move also fits the broader comparison in Detroit’s pipeline: if a goalie prospect no longer projects as the first call, a draft pick can become the cleaner currency. In practical terms, that means Detroit chose a forward prospect now rather than waiting for a longer goalie logjam to sort itself out.
Dylan Larkin shadows Day 1
Dylan Larkin’s trade request had been public for more than three weeks before Friday, and Steve Yzerman did not speak to the media after the first round. That left Detroit’s draft-night activity to stand on its own while the unresolved Larkin situation still hung over Hockeytown. The Red Wings took one concrete step and still left the bigger roster question untouched.
What the Red Wings will ultimately get in any Dylan Larkin deal remains unresolved, but Day 2 now carries more weight because Detroit has already shown it will use draft capital instead of standing still. Free agency on July 1 follows soon after, and the next move will tell readers whether this was a single draft-night adjustment or the start of a deeper reset.
