Rookie Dennis Cholowski has had some defensive struggles which are not uncommon of first-year players particularly first-year defensemen. After being scratched Thursday night on his own bobblehead night, the Detroit Red Wings sent Dennis to Grand Rapids.
Dennis Cholowski has a team-worst minus-20, again he is a rookie trying to figure things out. The Detroit Red Wings coaches and front office personnel are not saying how long the 20-year-old Cholowski will be with the Griffins. Similar to fellow defensive player Filip Hronek, the Wings want Cholowski to both to be on the ice and work on his game. Playing 13 minutes a night in Detroit is ok but playing 22 minutes in Grand Rapids will allow Dennis the time to improve.
What is best for Dennis’s long-term development? That is the real question here. Some teams allow a grace period, and the player is allowed to stay and learn the game at an NHL level. The Red Wings believe it is best to allow their players to readjust their game in the minors. It really is a team by team philosophy. There is no right or wrong way.
The plus side is Cholowski can make a mistake in Grand Rapids, and the stakes are not quite as high as they are in Detroit with the Red Wings. So that could be part of the thinking as well. In 52 appearances with the Detroit Red Wings this season, Cholowski has earned 7 goals and 9 assists and a CF% of 49.6%.
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Back to Filip Hronek for a moment, Hronek struggled mightily when he broke camp with the Wings. He was sent down and worked on his game. His second stint showed he has applied what he was told to the ice. His game both grew and improved. Filip was sent back down due to a numbers issue, with healthy defensemen he would have been a healthy scratch nightly. Next season should be different. There is little doubt Hronek will be ready to go.
Cholowski has some added pressure as he was selected in the first round in 2016 20th overall. Being a first-round draft pick always comes with added pressure. He does not want to be a bust, and I do not feel he will be. He has flashed enough ability to show he can grow into the player the Wings have envisioned for him to be.
Perhaps, the Detroit Red Wings have suggested to Cholowski that he speak with Filip Hronek about the adjustments he made and go from there. The two are being counted on heavily to be part of the post rebuild defensive unit. That has not and will not change. Both players have a lot of upside.