Dennis Cholowski Bio
Dennis Cholowski is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a defenceman for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on February 15, 1998, in Langley, British Columbia, Cholowski was drafted 20th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He has since suited up for the Detroit Red Wings, Seattle Kraken, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders before arriving in New Jersey.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 194 pounds, Cholowski has built his career on smooth skating, dependable puck movement, and positional play from the back end. His professional journey has taken him across multiple organizations, including stints with American Hockey League affiliates, while representing Canada at the junior international level.
Early Life and Background
Dennis Cholowski was born and raised in Langley, British Columbia, a community in the Greater Vancouver area with a strong youth hockey tradition. Growing up, he played bantam hockey locally and developed his game against the region’s competitive minor hockey programs. His early years on the ice helped him build the skating and defensive fundamentals that would later define his professional style.
In 2013, Cholowski was selected by the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League in the 10th round, 200th overall, of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. That same year, he joined the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), where he began to attract broader scouting attention. During his first season with the Chiefs in 2013–14, he appeared in just one game, but his development trajectory quickly accelerated.
Path to Hockey
Cholowski committed to play collegiate hockey at St. Cloud State University in 2014, joining a program in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference that had a strong track record of producing NHL defencemen. During the 2014–15 season, he recorded four goals and 30 assists through 67 games, immediately establishing himself as an offensive contributor from the blue line. He continued that progression in 2015–16, posting 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points in 50 games with the Chiefs, leading all team defencemen in scoring and finishing fifth among BCHL rearguards. In the playoffs, he led the entire league in points by a defenceman with 15, earning a place on the 2016 BCHL Second All-Star Team.
His stock rose sharply in the spring of 2016, when the Detroit Red Wings used the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft to select Cholowski. That pick, originally acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in a trade involving Pavel Datsyuk’s contract, made him the highest-drafted St. Cloud State commit in program history, surpassing Matt Cullen’s 35th overall selection in 1996.
Dennis Cholowski Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Cholowski began his post-draft development at St. Cloud State during the 2016–17 season, recording one goal and 11 assists in 36 games. On April 5, 2017, the Detroit Red Wings signed him to a three-year entry-level contract. Two days later, he joined the Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout and made his professional debut on April 15, 2017, in a 5–1 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals.
For the 2017–18 season, Cholowski was assigned to the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. He was named team captain on November 21, 2017, before being traded to the Portland Winterhawks on January 10, 2018. With the Cougars, he ranked second in the WHL in goals by a defenceman and sixth in points, and he added another productive stretch in Portland to finish the year.
NHL Debut with the Detroit Red Wings (2018–2021)
Cholowski made the Detroit Red Wings’ opening night roster for the 2018–19 season and debuted in the NHL on October 4, 2018, scoring his first career goal in the second period against Joonas Korpisalo of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before a February 2019 assignment to the Grand Rapids Griffins, he had recorded seven goals and nine assists in 52 games, ranking third in points among NHL rookie defencemen. He added 12 assists in 25 AHL games down the stretch.
After returning to the NHL roster in 2019–20 and again for the shortened 2020–21 campaign, Cholowski bounced between Detroit and Grand Rapids. On July 21, 2021, he was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, ending his time with the organization that originally drafted him.
Seattle Kraken and Washington Capitals (2021–2022)
Cholowski signed a one-year, US$900,000 deal with Seattle on September 7, 2021, and made the Kraken’s opening roster. Just one day later, he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Washington Capitals. In four months with Washington, he appeared in seven games, registering one assist and three shots on goal.
On February 8, 2022, the Capitals waived Cholowski, and the Kraken reclaimed him the next day before immediately assigning him to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. He produced three goals and 15 assists in 31 games for Charlotte and added two assists in four NHL games after a late-season recall, finishing the year with one assist in six Calder Cup playoff contests.
New York Islanders Era (2022–2025)
On August 23, 2022, Cholowski signed a two-year entry-level contract with the New York Islanders as a free agent. He began the year with the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL, scoring his first Bridgeport goal on February 18, 2023. In 2023–24, he recorded seven goals and 24 assists in 68 AHL games and was added to New York’s playoff roster on April 23, 2024. He re-signed with the Islanders on a one-year deal on June 24, 2024.
During the 2024–25 season, Cholowski recorded three goals and seven assists in 33 games before being placed on waivers on February 20, 2025. After clearing waivers the next day, he scored once in six games. On March 7, 2025, New York traded him to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Adam Beckman, closing out his Islanders chapter.
New Jersey Devils Era (2025–Present)
Following his trade to New Jersey, Cholowski skated in six regular-season games and two playoff games with the Devils, making his NHL playoff debut in Game 2 of the first round on April 22, 2025. After the season, he re-signed with the Devils on July 1, 2025, for US$775,000 and one year, cementing his place on the team’s blue line.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cholowski is recognized as a smooth-skating defenceman with strong offensive instincts, particularly effective in transition and on the power play. His ability to lead or contribute to a team’s rush from the back end, paired with a steady defensive posture, has allowed him to remain an NHL contributor across multiple organizations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include his 2016 NHL Draft selection at 20th overall, his first NHL goal on October 4, 2018, his gold medal at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge with Canada West, and his NHL playoff debut with New Jersey in April 2025.
Dennis Cholowski Career Wins
Cholowski’s verified honours include a gold medal with Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge and a 2016 BCHL Second All-Star Team selection. He has not won a major individual NHL award to date.
NHL Highlights
Cholowski’s NHL career is defined more by steady contribution than by headline hardware. He recorded his first NHL goal in his debut on October 4, 2018, and produced a 16-point rookie season with the Red Wings that placed him among the league’s top rookie defencemen. His most recent NHL playoff appearance came in the 2025 first round with the New Jersey Devils.
Other Wins & Performances
In junior and collegiate play, Cholowski captained the Prince George Cougars and posted 13 goals and 26 assists in 39 WHL games before a midseason trade to the Portland Winterhawks, where he continued to produce offensively. His best junior scoring season came in 2015–16 with the Chilliwack Chiefs, when he led BCHL defencemen in playoff scoring with 15 points.
Dennis Cholowski Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Details about Cholowski’s parents and immediate family have not been publicly confirmed.
Personal Life
Cholowski keeps his personal life largely private. He is not publicly known to be married, and no public information about a spouse or children has been confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Cholowski’s 2024–25 season began with the New York Islanders, where he posted three goals and seven assists across 33 NHL games before being placed on waivers on February 20, 2025. After clearing waivers, he added one goal in six games before being traded to the New Jersey Devils on March 7, 2025, in exchange for Adam Beckman.
With the Devils, Cholowski appeared in six regular-season games and earned his NHL playoff debut in Game 2 of the first round on April 22, 2025. The transition offered him an opportunity to settle into a steady NHL role on a contending roster.
Following the season, Cholowski re-signed with the Devils on July 1, 2025, for US$775,000 on a one-year deal, signaling the organization’s confidence in his game. He is expected to compete for an everyday role on the New Jersey blue line in 2025–26.