Sebastian Cossa
2020-21 Team: Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL
Date of Birth: Nov. 21, 2002
Place of Birth: Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-6 Wt: 212 pounds
Catches: Left
Position: G
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 1st (amongst NA goaltenders)
- FC Hockey: 32nd
- Dobber Prospects: 36th
- McKeen’s Hockey: 27th
- Smaht Scouting: 41st
- The Hockey Writers (Zator): 46th
- The Hockey Writers (Baracchini): 36th
- The Hockey Writers (Forbes): 50th
It can be easy for a prospect to become known for one standout aspect heading into a draft. For goaltender Sebastian Cossa, the conversation surrounding him will ultimately start with his size. At 6-foot-6, he is an absolute giant in the crease, making him impossible to overlook.
Oftentimes, when you have a goalie this large, their play will suffer as that big body can be as much of a hindrance as it is a benefit. This isn’t the case for Cossa, however, who is fantastic at utilizing his frame, cutting off angles and baffling shooters in the process.
Throughout the 2019-20 season, his first in the WHL, Cossa dominated play with the Edmonton Oil Kings, posting a 2.23 goals-against average (GAA) and a .921 save percentage (SV%) in 33 starts. While the Oil Kings were one of the best overall teams in the league that season, those statistics can’t be ignored in any situation.
Even with the uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 season, Cossa has still been a standout goalie for Edmonton when he gets the chance to play, posting a 1.43 GAA and a .941 SV% in seven starts. While that sample size is too small to make any big judgments, it’s going to draw the attention of NHL scouts heading into the draft.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Sebastian Cossa – 2021 NHL Draft Projection
Cossa has all of the aspects that NHL general managers look for when they take a big swing on a goaltender. He has the size and toolkit to justify a late first-round selection for a team needing a top-end goalie prospect, and when you take into account that his ceiling is a number-one starting goaltender, one can expect him to draw a lot of attention on draft day.
Related: THW 2021 NHL Draft Guide
This makes the question whether a team will take Cossa off the board earlier than expected, say in the 20th range, or wait until the second round to take a shot on him? Given his potential, it seems likely that he will be selected sooner than later, potentially as the second goalie in the draft. So, one could expect to see the Fort McMurray native to hear his name called somewhere between the 25th to 40th overall pick.
Quotables
Cossa comes into his draft year as the sure-fire second-best goalie. If not for a superstar goalie in Wallstedt, Cossa would find himself as the best goalie in this class, he’s proved to be that good… After an exceptional D-1 season, Cossa projects to be an NHL starting goalie and continues to improve and rise up draft boards.
Danny Tiffany – DobberProspects.com
He’s got very good net coverage while in his stance or when dropping in the butterfly and he doesn’t leave a lot of room for shooters. When in butterfly he seals the ice and five-hole with a good leg extension to protect the low corners.
Al Jensen – Central Scouting
Cossa combines fluid crease shuffles with compact movements and limits the amount of time he spends on his back or his pads. He’s not much of a risk-taker and if Cossa gets beat, it’s rarely from his own egregious mistake or over-committal to one side.
Steve Kournianos – thedraftanalysis.com
Strengths
- Incredible body control for such a large goalie
- Tracks the puck at an elite level
- Smart goaltender who plays the game honestly
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- While it’s not Cossa’s fault that he is playing with the Edmonton Oil Kings, one of the best teams in the CHL over the last two seasons, this can make it harder to judge just how much he is impacting the team, as his gaudy statistics could be a factor playing with a top defensive unit.
NHL Potential
The hype behind Cossa is real, as he is a big-bodied goalie with the toolkit to develop into a true number-one starter. He has it all, and if given time, he could be the face of an NHL franchise in the near future.
Risk/Reward Analysis
Risk – 5/5, Reward – 5/5
To put it simply, drafting a goaltender early is always a risk, especially at a time when you don’t have as much scouting on players as normal. However, in the case of Cossa, this risk may be worthwhile, especially for a team that doesn’t need a starter right now.
If a franchise that is set in net for the foreseeable future selects Cossa, this would allow him the time to finish playing for the Oil Kings before taking over as an AHL starter for a few years. This could allow him to refine his game, and when the franchise is ready to inject some youth into their net, he could be ready to dominate the position.