The Detroit Red Wings have finally made a move at the NHL level this offseason, sending former top netminding prospect Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 draft. Cossa was selected 15th overall by the Red Wings with their 2021 first round pick. The 23 year old Canadian goalie only saw one game of NHL action with the Red Wings while being the top netminder for the Grand Rapids Griffins the past two years.
With the pick the Red Wings selected JP Hurlbert, a highly skilled forward out of the WHL. Hurlbert was drafted by the Kamloops Blazers in 2023 and signed with the team last offseason. Detroit forward Emmitt Finnie was captain of that team the previous year.
In his lone season in the WHL Hurlbert lit the league up with 42 goals and 55 assists across 68 games, including a hat trick in his WHL debut. All of that added up to earning the Western Hockey League's Rookie of the Year honors.
The 18 year old Allen, Texas-native also committed to the University of Michigan Ann Arbor earlier this year, meaning Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings will be able to keep a close eye on him as he develops. Hurlbert breaks the mold of Yzerman's previous few forward selections in the first round, and the Red Wings are likely betting on his high scoring upside when he does eventually graduate to the NHL, as their top six remains uncertain for the near future.
Meanwhile, moving on from Cossa may be hard for some Wings' fans who watched the 6'6 goaltender's development closely the last few years, but with Michal Postava seemingly supplanting him during the Griffins' playoff run and Trey Augustine now in the AHL after graduating from Michigan State, Detroit's goalie prospect pipeline remains a strength. It does raise questions about who will back up John Gibson next year, however, and the Red Wings will still need to navigate Dylan Larkin's trade request.