Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Sign Highly Rated Czech Goalie
Postava signs two-year deal
Michal Postava had his choice of NHL teams and he’s choosing the Detroit Red Wings.
The Czech netminder is in agreement on a two-year deal with the Red Wings. He’ll be in training camp this fall.
Unlike other European free-agent netminders the Wings have acquired in the past, Postava is still young in terms of goalie years. He’s 23 and has spent only one season in the Czech Extraliga.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed goaltender Michal Postava to a two-year, entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/G8DFWZ0Z8t
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 11, 2025
Mind you, it was quite the year. Postava was backstopping Kometa Brno to the league title. He would post a shutout in Game 7 of the final. His postseason save percentage was .940.
“He’s had a great season,” former NHL netminder Pavel Francouz told Czech website iSport. “For most of the public, he was an unknown goalkeeper from the first league who suddenly won the title. I think that even Kometa itself didn’t expect what they would find in him, that he would lead them to gold.
“For me personally, it was a surprise, too. I really liked how he grew during the season. His performances went up. I certainly wouldn’t have guessed before the start of the Extraliga that he would be the best goalkeeper.”
Are Red Wings Jumping The Gun?
The decision to sign Postava certainly re-emphaizes the assertion of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman that it’s a weak crop of NHL UFA goalies that will be available this summer. That’s one of the reasons he was citing for making a trade-deadline move to add veteran Petr Mrazek.
Definitely, the decision by Trey Augustine to remain in college hockey at Michigan State for another year was also playing a role in the decision to add to Detroit’s pro goalie prospect pool. It also has to make you wonder whether the Red Wings are losing faith in Sebastian Cossa as their long-term solution between the pipes.
In all likelihood, Mrazek and Cam Talbot will be the goalies in Detroit to start next season. Cossa and Postava will likely be manning the nets for the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. Carter Gylander, who played with the ECHL Toledo Walleye this season, is also under contract. Jan Bednar, who also played in Toledo, is on an expiring AHL deal with the Griffins.
Michal Postava!
Fans skanduji: Zustan v Brně! @HCKometa pic.twitter.com/4CHrgxg6io— Zdenek Janda (@zdenek_janda) May 2, 2025
Francouz wonders whether Postava is the real deal, or a one-year wonder.
“In his situation, it’s going to be a lottery bet,” Francouz suggested. “When a goalie takes off like that, it’s a good idea to wait until next season to confirm it. He has the skills, but (has) to establish himself in his performance (over time).
“I think it would be a huge leap for him to go straight to the AHL. That’s the position he’s expected to play – to be one of the two goalies on the farm.”
Got to give Mr. Yzerman and the Ding a Lings some credit on this one. The current goaltenders are journeymen at best and organization seems to be loosing faith in Cossa. He may be a roll of the dice, but he and Bednar may be the future for the DRW in the net. At least they are finally willing to admit the current plan is not working and are willing to try something different. Maybe Little Caesar is starting to listen to others in the organization and forming his own opinion, instead of blindly listening to Yzerman. We can only hope. If so, it should bode well for the future of this franchise.
This might be the first thing you’ve been halfway right about. You never know with goalies, just roll the dice. It’s extremely possible that Cossa might never play meaningful minutes for the Red Wings and could be used as a trade chip. Goalies are a strange game.
Yes, they are indeed. Good call.
PDH !…Such optimism ! Must’ve got the good stuff instead of shower to shower ? lol. Agree that stopping pucks at a winning %should be number 1 on the acquisition hit parade. #2 A towering Dman… #3 Fast 6ft face – off winning Center…and finally a wild card prickley pear like Marchand. You have your mission Mr. Y. and a chunk-o-dough with shiny trinkets….go now and trade for manhattan island.