Red Wings netminder Cam Talbot is ready to return from his lower-body injury and is expected to start tomorrow in Philadelphia, Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News reports. As such, rookie Sebastian Cossa’s services were no longer required on the active roster and he was reassigned to AHL Grand Rapids, the team announced.
Talbot, 37, missed four games with the injury, which he sustained midway through an eventual overtime loss to the Canucks on Dec. 1. Detroit was already without No. 2 option Alex Lyon, who remains on injured reserve with a lower-body issue, forcing them to summon Cossa to complement veteran third-stringer Ville Husso for the time being. Husso will stay around for a while yet as Talbot’s backup until Lyon is ready to return.
While a few of the moves that Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman made this summer appear to be backfiring, signing Talbot isn’t one of them. The 12-year veteran has arguably been the Red Wings’ most valuable player in 2024-25, posting a .915 SV% and 2.73 GAA in 15 appearances behind a Detroit team that’s allowing 30.9 shots per game, fifth-worst in the league. Talbot’s 10.1 goals saved above expected rank fifth behind Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (16.8), Anaheim’s Lukáš Dostál (14.0), Utah’s Karel Vejmelka (13.2), and Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson (12.6), per MoneyPuck.
The Red Wings, who need a serious winning streak to put themselves back in playoff contention, are certainly happy to get that level of play back between the pipes. Husso has floundered often in his six starts and one relief appearance this year, posting a .870 SV% and 3.74 GAA while allowing 7.6 goals above expected. He most recently allowed three goals on seven shots against the Sabres on Monday before being pulled, leading to Cossa’s NHL debut. The 22-year-old Cossa, who the Wings selected 15th overall in the 2021 draft, made 12 saves on 14 shots en route to a comeback 6-5 shootout win.
More development time isn’t a bad thing for the 6’6″, 209-lb netminder, but Cossa has taken a demonstrable step forward with Grand Rapids this season. Now in his third professional campaign, the 2022 World Juniors gold medalist has a sparkling 2.21 GAA and .925 SV% in 14 appearances with a 9-4-1 record. He’s on track to clear the career-best 2.41 and .913 marks he set with Grand Rapids last season.
The Red Wings’ active roster count stands at 21 with $4.31MM in cap space after Cossa’s demotion, per PuckPedia. Talbot was never placed on injured reserve, so no transaction is required to make him available for tomorrow’s game.
The one exciting thing this year was Cossa getting called up. This Yzerplan is not moving fast enough.
Why!!!! Trade Lyon cut Husso again and pair Cossa with Talbot give the kid some minutes. Our farm system is ranked high cause they spend 10 years down there.
You mean like keeping Berggren there all year last year?
Can’t really agree on Berggren, in 28 games he’s posted 6 points and a minus 6 on a +/- rating. Only forwards of less impact are Fischer 3 with a minus 4, Veleno 2 with a minus 6, and Motte 1pt with a minus 6 rating. Motte has only been in 16 of 28 games so far so gets a little wiggle room yet. Not sure what DRW saw in him as since the 20-21 season, he’s played 255 games and posted a total of 44 points on 5 NHL teams. Motte, Berggren (or Fischer) , and Veleno should all be sent to GR and bring up a hungry threesome from AHL to “give it their best shot” in the NHL. The Wings have found themselves in a deepening hole. The first thing to do is STOP DIGGING! It is getting tough to watch, but I keep remembering how horrible the Lions fans had it for decades.
In recent weeks Berggren has been one of the only few bright spots. He’s always been good regardless of his point production. Motte and Fischer are just serviceable 4th liners, can’t expect a whole lot from them other than that. Veleno is just so inconsistent he seems irrelevant. Rasmussen is sort of the same, great team guy who puts his body on the line but has bricks for hands at times and lacks instincts. That type of guy shouldn’t be playing on the 1st line. Soderblom could easily take his place in the lineup. I say call up Mazur, Soderblom, and someone else who is performing well in GR, maybe a defensemen. Gustaffson has been just absolutely lack luster.
P.S.
I meant call up Mazur when healthy…
I’m not so up on Berggren. As a 24 year old, in 30 games he’s put up only 6 points. As far as forwards go, only Motte whose recent seasons have seen little achievement, then the earlier season injury, and Fischer have less in contribution. Not sure how long the staff should keep this guy on the NHL roster before trying someone else from the AHL to see if we have a budding contributor. They are bouncing along at the bottom now and need to shake things up. Heck maybe its the coaching that is crippling these players, hard to tell from the stands.
I certainly hope that the RW are not trying to prop up some of their poorer performers by shifting them to #1 or #2 lines. If they put Veleno on #1 line, to get his points up, all that will do is be a drag on Larkin and Raymond. The place to rehab Veleno, Fischer, and Motte is in Grand Rapids, NOT on the NHL bench. Bring up 3 players for a line #4 and see what they can do. You earn your keep every game. So far Veleno, Fischer, and Motte have not paid their rent.