GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Hockey League on Sunday named Grand Rapids Griffins goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Michal Postava the winners of the 2025-26 Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award, given annually since 1972 to the goaltender(s) on the team that allows the fewest goals per game in the regular season. This marks the third time the Griffins have won the award and the first since they earned it back to back in 2001-02 and 2002-03.  

To qualify for the award, a goaltender must have appeared in at least one-third of his team’s games. Grand Rapids paced the AHL with 159 goals allowed, an average of just 2.21 per game. The 159 goals allowed set a franchise record for the fewest in a season, surpassing the 166 mark from 2003-04 when it played 80 games (2.08 GAA). The Griffins logged an AHL-high 10 shutouts during the regular season, tying the team record established in 2003-04. 

Cossa led the way with a 26-8-4 mark with five shutouts, a 2.33 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 39 games. His career-high five shutouts are the most by a Griffin since 2015-16 (Jared Coreau, 6). Cossa enjoyed a career-best 10-game win streak from Nov. 25-Dec. 27, showing a 1.51 GAA and a .939 save percentage, and a 14-game point streak from Nov. 25-Jan. 13 (12-0-2). In the AHL rankings, Cossa stands sixth in GAA, sixth in save percentage, second in shutouts, third in wins and 12th in minutes played (2292:25). In the franchise’s all-time single-season record book, he places eighth in wins (26) and tied for seventh in shutouts (5). Cossa won two straight AHL Goaltender of the Month awards (November and December), becoming the first netminder in franchise history to receive the honor twice in the same season. The 23-year-old also became just the third goaltender in team history to win the award twice in any fashion, joining Jared Coreau (Feb. 2018, Dec. 2015) and Jimmy Howard (Dec. 2007, March 2006). 

In parts of four seasons with Grand Rapids since 2022-23, Cossa has notched a 70-33-18 mark with eight shutouts to go along with a 2.46 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 123 outings. In the Griffins’ all-time rankings, Cossa places fifth in games played, fifth in minutes played, 10th in GAA, fifth in wins, tied for sixth in shutouts, and fifth in saves.   

Postava, a rookie out of Valasske Mezirici, Czechia, went 17-6-0 during the regular season with four shutouts in 25 appearances, setting single-season franchise records with a 1.71 GAA and a .937 save percentage while never allowing more than three goals in a game. If he had enough minutes played to qualify (39 short), Postava would rank first in the league in GAA and save percentage, and tie for third in shutouts. In an 8-0 victory at Milwaukee on Friday, Postava logged his fourth shutout of the campaign behind 24 saves, which set a franchise rookie record for the most in a single season. He finished the regular season on a four-game win streak, showing two shutouts, a 1.00 GAA and a .960 save percentage. In the franchise’s all-time single-season record book, he places first in GAA (1.71), first in save percentage (.937) and tied for 10th in shutouts (4). Postava tied a franchise record by becoming the 10th netminder in team history to post back-to-back shutouts from Jan. 17-21. Finally, Postava logged a shutout streak of 156:20 from Jan. 9-25, which was 3:47 short of breaking the franchise record set by Jared Coreau in 2014-15 (160:06). Last season, Postava became a Czech Extraliga champion with Kometa Brno, showing a league-best .940 save percentage with a 1.97 GAA and a 10-7 record in 17 playoff games.

Cossa and Postava were among five goaltenders to appear in a game for the Griffins this season, along with Carter Gylander, Dustin Tokarski and Trey Augustine.

The Griffins’ previous winners of the Holmes Memorial Award were Marc Lamothe and Joey MacDonald in 2002-03, and Martin Prusek, Simon Lajeunesse and Mathieu Chouinard in 2001-02.

Fans who want to experience every Griffins game at Van Andel Arena during the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs can now purchase a Griffins Playoff SuperPass. Enjoy the same great seat at significant savings plus the convenience of the “pay-as-we-play” method of payment. Click here to reserve your Griffins Playoff SuperPass or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.