Cholowski, 23, has eight points (3-5-8) in 11 games for Grand Rapids this season, which ranks ninth among AHL defensemen and paces Griffins' blueliners. Cholowski is among Griffins' leaders with three goals (3rd), five assists (T2nd), eight points (4th), 22 shots (T5th) and three power-play assists (T3rd). The 6-foot-2, 197-pound defenseman split time between Detroit and Grand Rapids last year, recording eight points (2-6-8) in 36 games with Detroit and ranking second among Red Wings defensemen with five power-play points (1-4-5). He also appeared in 30 games with the Griffins last season and contributed 13 points (3-10-13) and eight penalty minutes. Dating back to his professional debut at the end of the 2016-17 season, Cholowski has 33 points (6-27-33) and 26 penalty minutes in 67 AHL games and two points (0-2-2) and two penalty minutes in six Calder Cup Playoff games. In two NHL seasons with the Red Wings, Cholowski has totaled 24 points (9-15-24) and 22 penalty minutes in 88 career games.
Originally selected by Detroit in the first round (20th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Cholowski played one season of college hockey and one season of major junior after he was drafted before turning professional. In 2016-17, he logged 12 points (1-11-12) in 36 games at St. Cloud State University, before racking up 66 points (14-52-66) in 69 games between the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks during the 2017-18 campaign. A native of Langley, British Columbia, Cholowski won a gold medal with Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge. He spent parts of three seasons (2013-16) with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the British Columbia Hockey League before he was drafted, notching 67 points (16-51-67) and 20 penalty minutes in 105 regular-season games and adding 22 points (4-18-22) and four penalty minutes in 32 postseason games.
