Detroit AHL head coach Dan Watson notes goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa will be in the conversation for the Red Wings backup goalie spot

The Detroit Red Wings are heading into a pivotal season for the franchise, marking their 100th anniversary while also aiming to break free from years of playoff struggles, they haven’t reached the postseason since 2016 and have just one series win since 2012.

After rebuilding the team over the last nine years, the Red Wings have built up an elite prospect pool that will hopefully come into fruition in the near future. Goaltending has been a longstanding issue since the days of Chris Osgood and GM Steve Yzerman made a temporary fix to the problem by adding former all-star goaltender John Gibson, who is signed on for two more seasons. The long term plan includes two high end goalie prospects in Trey Augustine and Sebastian Cossa. 

Red Wings Bring Back Famous 'Hockeytown' Slogan for 100th SeasonThe Detroit Red Wings have put their famous slogan "Hockeytown" back at centre ice.

Augustine is expected to go back to Michigan State for one or two more years. This leaves him a longer timetable than the Red Wings' 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft in Cossa, who may be finally nearing the jump to the NHL.

The Hockey News spoke with Grand Rapids Griffinshead coach Dan Watson and he explained to us that the uncertainty of if Cossa will be returning to the Griffins is at an all-time high. 

“He's committed, dedicated, he wants to get better, he wants to be the guy, whether it's in Grand Rapids, I know he's gonna be challenging mentally for a spot in Detroit," Watson explained "We're looking for him to take that next step and be a good starting goaltender for us in Grand Rapids, If not, he's going to be in Detroit."  

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Watson emphasized that another season with the Griffins would be valuable for Cossa as he would have the opportunity to handle the majority of the starts, just as he did early last season when his strong performance earned him a spot at the AHL all-star game. Veteran goaltenders like Jack Campbell and Husso would go on to limit his workload later on in the season. If he returns to Grand Rapids next season, Watson expects him to take on the bulk workload for the team.

“This year, I'd love to see him take the reins and then if he's in Grand Rapids, be the guy, get those as many starts as you possibly can where we obviously have to manage his workload and everything, but he can get a lot of starts and get to feel the puck and then see it well, like he did this our last year," Watson said "I think that's going to elevate him to that next step is being the guy in Grand Rapids." 

Cossa has played 84 games with the Griffins and during that stretch has posted a 44-25-15 record with a 2.52 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. The 22-year-old Hamilton native made his NHL debut in December 2024, coming in as relief for starter Ville Husso. He stopped 12 shots and turned aside two shootout attempts against the Buffalo Sabres to secure his first career win.

Having coached Cossa throughout his time with the team, Watson knows his game better than most and noted that the two share a strong relationship. 

"We have a great relationship, being with each other now for the last three seasons. I want to make sure there's invested interest with him, and I want to make sure that we do everything we can and provide the resources necessary for him to have success," Watson stated.  

Cossa will likely be competing with another veteran goaltender in Cam Talbot, currently serving as Detroit’s backup, during training camp. The 38-year-old journeyman will be challenged by the youngster, setting up an intriguing storyline to watch as camp unfolds. From the sounds of it, Cossa is closer than ever to bridging the gap and claiming the role, with a slow start from Talbot potentially being the difference.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar certainly took a nice step in the right direction with his development this past season with the Original Six club. In 53 games with the Blackhawks on the year, he set new career highs with 12 goals, 14 assists, and 26 points. With this, he certainly demonstrated that he can provide solid offense at the NHL level already. 

What's even more encouraging about Nazar is that he ended the 2024-25 season on a high note. In his final eight games of the campaign, the 2022 first-round pick recorded five goals and nine points. This included posting three goals and five points in the Blackhawks' final three games of the season, so he undoubtedly impressed. 

With Nazar being a young player on the rise, he should have zero trouble hitting new offensive career highs for the Blackhawks in 2025-26. This is especially so when noting that he only got better as this past season rolled on and that he should have a spot in Chicago's top six and on their power play. 

It will be very interesting to see what kind of campaign Nazar will put together for the Blackhawks in 2025-26, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future in Chicago. 

Blackhawks Have Decision To Make With 20-Goal ScorerIlya Mikheyev was among the Chicago Blackhawks' bright spots from their 2024-25 season. After being traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the Blackhawks in a cap dump move, Mikheyev proved to be a nice fit on the Blackhawks' roster. In 80 games on the year, the 6-foot-2 winger scored 20 goals and recorded a career-high 34 points. 

The Montreal Canadiens have brought in multiple new players this off-season, and forward Zack Bolduc is undoubtedly among the most notable. The Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux last month. With this, Montreal and St. Louis swapped two 2021 first-round picks in one of the most intriguing trades of the summer. 

There is no question that Mailloux has the potential to become a nice part of the Blues' defensive group, as he is a promising prospect who should give them a much-needed boost on the right side of their blueline. However, the Canadiens bringing in a forward like Bolduc for him undoubtedly has the potential to benefit them immensely, as he has the tools to blossom into a very impactful NHL forward.

Bolduc already took a notable step forward in his development this past season for the Blues, as he set new career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, 36 points, and 108 hits in 72 games. With numbers like these, he has shown that he can produce solid offense at the NHL level, and he should only improve as he continues to gain more experience. 

Bolduc has the potential to become a big piece of the Canadiens' roster. When looking at their current group, he should have a real shot of playing in their top six and on their power play. Thus, he could end up being a significant part of their group moving forward, especially if he continues to trend in the right direction.

Nevertheless, it is going to be very interesting to see what kind of season Bolduc can put together for the Canadiens from here. 

Canadiens Veteran Is Big Player To WatchThe Montreal Canadiens are one of the NHL's most intriguing teams, as they have several promising young players who have the potential to become big parts of their future. However, they also have some veterans on their roster to watch in 2025-26, and forward Brendan Gallagher is certainly one of them.

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen certainly left a strong first impression during his full professional season in North America this past campaign.

Koivunen spent the bulk of the season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and undoubtedly made a big impact. In 63 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he recorded 21 goals, 35 assists, and 56 points. With numbers like these, he demonstrated his offensive upside. 

Koivunen also ended the regular-season at the NHL level with Pittsburgh, and it could not have gone much better for the 2021 second-round pick. In eight games with Pittsburgh, he recorded seven assists. This included him ending the season on a five-game point streak, where he posted six assists over that span.

Overall, Koivunen has shown early on that he has the potential to become a solid NHL forward, and he certainly could take a major step forward in his development next season because of it. When looking at the Penguins' current group, he has a strong chance of playing in their middle six and getting power-play time. This could end up benefiting a young and skilled player like Koivunen tremendously.

It is going to be very interesting to see what kind of season Koivunen can put together for the Penguins in 2025-26. If he continues to trend in the right direction, he could cement himself as a big part of Pittsburgh's roster moving forward. 

Penguins Have Interesting Goalie Battle To WatchWith it now being the middle of August, NHL training camps are not too far away, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are gearing up for an interesting one. After bringing in several new players this off-season, there will be plenty of players fighting for spots on their NHL roster.

The Minnesota Wild did not qualify defenseman Ryan O'Rourke following his fourth season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Wild.

O'Rourke, 23, had spent the last four years playing in the Wild's organization. He has recorded six goals, 34 assists and 40 points in 229 career AHL games.

The Wild selected O'Rourke with the 39th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He recorded two goals and 12 points in 59 games last season for the Iowa Wild and was a minus-eight. The season before he had three goals, 12 points and was a minus-30.

The 6-foot-1 defenseman was not qualified by the Wild and entered free agency. He signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Laval Rocket of the AHL. They are the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate.

Other Wild News

Where Wild's Zeev Buium Ranks In Calder Trophy VotingMinnesota Wild rookie defenseman Zeev Buium burst onto the scene in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round. He had just finished his sophomore season at the University of Denver where he was up for the NCAA's Hobey Baker Award as the top player in College Hockey.Minnesota Wild Potential PTO Candidate: Victor OlofssonThe 2025-26 season is just a few months away. Training camp for the Minnesota Wild will begin in just over a month from now. Wild hockey will be here before we know it. Where Wild's Kirill Kaprizov Ranks Among Wingers In The NHLThe NHL Network is putting together some lists of the top players in the NHL among different positions before the 2025-26 season starts. They just dropped the top-20 wingers in the NHL list.

On August 11, 2020 the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning started their first round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans of the CBJ were hoping that the Jackets could pull off another huge upset against the Lightning. 

Long story short, the Lightning would go on to get their revenge by beating the Blue Jackets 4-1 in the series. But game one is something that no one will soon forget. 

Columbus and Tampa played the 4th longest game in NHL history. The game lasted 150 minutes and 27 seconds, or 6 hours and 13 minutes in real time. The game started at 3 PM and ended at 9:22 PM. The game would end in the 5th overtime when Brayden Point scored his second of the game to put the Lightning up 1-0 in the series.

But for CBJ fans, it was watching Joonas Korpisalo that made it the most exciting. The young Finnish goalie would take the loss, but would set an NHL playoff record for most saves in a game with 85 saves. That record still stands today. 

The Lightning pumped 88 shots at Korpisalo, which included 12 or more shots in 6 of the periods, and 14 shots in four of the periods. The Lightning were trying their hardest to bury the Blue Jackets all game, but Korpisalo just wouldn't let it happen. 

The Jackets would lose the game and series, and send Columbus off into a rebuild, but Jackets fans always look back at this game will pride and will always cheer for Joonas Korpisalo. 

Did you watch this game and Korpisalo's performance? 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

More From THN Columbus

64 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide ArenaThere have only been two players wear the #64 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately for Columbus, neither one of them made a significant impact for Columbus. Cleveland is a different story, however.  An Early Look At The Blue Jackets' 2025-26 Projected Opening Night RosterWe've officially entered the last month of the calendar that doesn't have NHL games in it. We are only a bit over a month away from the start of 2025 NHL training camp and then preseason. Because of that, I thought it would be fun to take an early look at what the Columbus Blue Jackets' projected opening night lineup could look like. Former Monsters Forward Rumored To Be Signing In KHLFormer Monsters forward Rocco Grimaldi is rumored to be joining SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

For the second time in less than a week, the Nashville Predators players' contracts have come under scrutiny again by The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn. 

After saying that Nic Hague and Brady Skjei had two of the worst contracts in the NHL, Luszczyszyn ranked the Predators 30th out of 32 in the NHL's contract efficiency rankings. 

"No team is expected to spend more for less than the Predators, whose total surplus value comes in at minus-$63 million," Luszczyszyn wrote. 

Age is the main problem he cited, claiming that the Predators are taking big bets on players who are older and have failed to produce this past season. To his credit, "big splash signings" like Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei and Jonathan Marchessault didn't pan out last season. 

The Predators signed Stamkos to a 4-year, $32 million contract, meaning that Stamkos will be pushing 40 by the time the contract expires. After taking a 28-point dip last season from the previous, he needs a bounce-back year, or this signing could be a bust. 

Stamkos is a player of his generation, but the dip in production could be signaling the twilight of his career. A four-year contract looked safe enough, but the Predators could see themselves shelling out money to a past-their-prime superstar. 

It could also be a similar situation for Marchessault. Nashville essentially took the bait that Vegas didn't. Marchessault wanted a five-year contract, but the Golden Knights passed due to Marchessault's age, 38, by the time it had expired. 

With a similar mindset to signing Stamkos, the Predators weren't worried about the ladder end of the contract and gave Marchessault his 5-year, $27.5 million contract. This season, he took a 13-point dip in production. 

Skjei was signed on in the expectation that he was going to supplement Josi's scoring on the back end. Since the 2021-22 season, his production has spiked, but again, Nashville offered a lengthy contract to an older player, 7 years for $49 million. 

While 33 points is solid, it was a 14-point decline. Heading into a long contract, again, the Predators need a bounce-back year from Josi or they could see themselves dealing with a lengthy contract with a aging player. 

Then you have the two additions on defense that were supposed to "fix" the unit: Nicolas Hague and Nick Perbix.

Perbix is a little bit more understandable. A 2-year, $5.5 million contract for a defenseman producing about 20 points a season isn't awful. They want to get more out of him, but he isn't going to be a superstar out of the game. 

The contract issues arise again with Hague's contract and their intentions. The Predators gave him a 4 year, $22 million contract, expecting him to be in Nashville's top four. He's never had that role in his entire career. 

Hague hasn't scored more than 17 points in a season, played in Vegas' bottom pairing nearly every season and had the lowest plus/minus in the Golden Knights' defensive corps last season. It's an acquisition that makes no sense. 

There are also all the players the Predators claimed off waivers late last season, seemingly out of desperation. 

Andreas Englund, Jordan Oesterle and Jakub Vrana were all claimed off waivers last season, and the Predators kept two. Englund and Oesterle are both in the final year of a $775,000 contract. 

They don't have substantial financial hits, but neither brings much to the table. Englund racks up the penalty minutes, and Oesterle hasn't really contributed at all statistically. The Predators will likely put them back on waivers or trade them, but any intentions of keeping them in the lineup shouldn't really be justified. 

One of the less popular conversations that Luszczyszyn mentioned was about goaltender Juuse Saros. He is still one of the top Finnish goalies in the league, but struggled substantially last season. 

He had a 2.97 goals against average and a .896 save percentage, the lowest of his career as a full-time NHL goaltender. Saros' GAA has risen over the last four seasons and is going to need a bounce-back season in order to get into the conversation as one of the best goalies in the league. 

Saros is in the first year of a gigantic 8 year, $61.92 million contract. He will be 38 by the end of it. 

The Predators appear to be counting on players in their early to mid-30s experiencing a resurgence, which is typically when their play declines, and essentially locking them in until retirement. 

On the bright side, the Predators' strengths have come in drafting and building their prospects. There are numerous prospects, most of whom are yet to enter the Predators system, that have a ton of upside. Managing that pool well will pay off in the future.

However, at the same time, the Predators are still figuring out the right contract for Luke Evangelista. Although there's still time to secure Evangelista a new contract, it's concerning that one hasn't been drafted yet. 

Following the same pattern as their recent signings, general manager Barry Trotz stated that Evangelista's representation disliked the original contract term, which was likely longer than expected. 

The big question that Luszczyszyn is bringing forward is whether the Predators are signing the right players to the right contracts. That answer looks like it's a no. 

Former Belleville and Ottawa Senators broadcaster Jack Miller has officially called it a career.

Miller, the first voice of the Belleville Senators and a broadcaster for more than five decades, officially retired last week, closing the book on a fine 51-year broadcasting career. Miller’s work reached beyond the B-Sens to junior and international hockey, and even a few seasons spent calling Ottawa Senators games.

Miller began his career in his hometown of Cornwall before moving to Belleville in September 1974 for a job on CJBQ radio, and it didn’t take long before hockey became his specialty. In 1979, he began filling in on Bulls broadcasts, and his work in hockey took off from there.

For many Ottawa fans, they heard Miller’s voice for the first time on the Global TV Game of the Week between 1988 and 2002. For much of that era, regular-season NHL games were only on once or twice per week, so a little extra hockey on TV on Saturday afternoons was well received, particularly when the 67s were on the card. 

Miller also served as a play-by-play announcer and colour commentator for Ottawa Senators radio broadcasts from 1998 to 2002. Internationally, Miller worked on TSN Radio’s coverage of the World Juniors for 13 years, including tournaments across Europe.

Over the course of his career, Miller figures he called more than 3,000 games at the various levels. 

“My departure comes after a full career filled with things I never thought I’d be doing, or even set out to do,” Miller said in an interview on the CHL website when he announced his decision back in July. “I’ll miss the sports coverage on the air, going around doing hockey games.”

When the Belleville Senators joined the AHL in 2017, Miller was the natural choice to become their first play-by-play guy. He held that role until 2022, when the City of Belleville and the Senators organization honoured him on Jack Miller Day, by renaming the B-Sens press box the Jack Miller Broadcast and Media Centre.

Miller, who was inducted into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, was presented with a Belleville Senators jersey by team staff members this week, including David Foot, who succeeded him in the booth.

The jersey number was 51, honouring his 51 years in broadcasting. That's truly a remarkable feat, to be in the volatile, ever-shrinking radio industry for that long and going out on his own terms. Not many do anymore.

For Belleville sports fans who grew up with his voice, as it emanated from either the rink or the station, Miller’s official retirement marks the end of an era. The Hockey News wishes one of the industry's true gentlemen a very happy retirement.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News website: 

More Sens Headlines:
Former Senator Mark Borowiecki Now 'Looks At Fighting From A Different Lens'
Keith Tkachuk On Brady's Future In Ottawa: 'I Don't Think He's Going Anywhere'
Next NHL Expansion Fee May Be 40 Times More Than The Ottawa Senators Paid
The Senators' 2025-26 Lineup Is Probably Already Set
Should Batherson Have Been Considered For Team Canada's Orientation Camp?
Mark Stone Jokes That It Wasn't Always Easy Playing On Brady Tkachuk's Line

When Nicolas Roy puts on a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, he'll be wearing a number he has never worn in the NHL before. The player will wear No. 55, a number he last used while playing in Junior with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL.

Roy was a guest on Leafs Morning Take with hosts Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill. When asked about the number's significance, Roy explained that when he played junior hockey as a 14-year-old, he was the youngest player and the last one picked.

“I ended up with 55 and was kind of surprised a little bit and didn't really like it at first," Roy said. "But by the time I played two years with it and then got to juniors, I picked it for four years. Then when I got to Vegas, obviously 55 was already picked, so I picked 10 and obviously couldn't get 10 in Toronto, so I went back with 55".

Roy's No. 10, which he wore with the Vegas Golden Knights, was retired by the Maple Leafs in 2016 during a ceremony where all honored numbers became retired. The number was honored for George Armstrong and his tenure with Toronto.

Since the 2019-20 season, Vegas right-winger Keegan Kolesar has worn No. 55. Roy joined Vegas in the same season after previously playing in the Carolina Hurricanes organization.

Maple Leafs Reveal Jersey Numbers For Newly Acquired PlayersMost of the Toronto Maple Leafs' summer additions officially have numbers with their new club.

While defenseman Mark Giordano wore No. 55 with Toronto from 2022-2024, Roy is the first forward to wear the number since Jason Blake, who played three seasons with the team from 2007-2010. Prior to Roy, Blake was the only Toronto forward to have ever worn No. 55.

Nicolas Roy Ready for Top-Six Role With Maple Leafs Whenever Called UponWhile the Toronto Maple Leafs continue their search for a top-six forward ahead of the 2025–26 NHL season, newly acquired center Nicolas Roy could help fill the gap in the meantime. 'My Favorite Player Growing Up Was Mats Sundin' Nicolas Roy Reacts To Be Traded To Maple Leafs In Mitch Marner DealNic Roy was on a trip with family and friends when he found out that he was being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner Spotted Skating In Golden Knights Gear In MuskokaFormer Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has been seen skating in Vegas Golden Knights gear for the first time since signing with the club.