- Born
- February 15, 1998, Langley
- From
- Grew up in Langley and played bantam hockey here
- Position
- Defence
- Draft
- 2016 NHL draft, first round, 20th overall, Detroit Red Wings
- NHL debut
- October 4, 2018, Detroit
- Latest club
- New York Rangers organisation (signed July 2, 2026)
- Last checked
- October 23, 2026
Dennis Cholowski’s path to the NHL went through a 10th-round pick. Prince George took the Langley bantam player 200th overall in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, a spot where most players never suit up. He went the other way: Junior A first, then college, then a first-round NHL call.
Growing up
Cholowski was born in Langley in February 1998 and played his bantam hockey at home, according to Wikipedia. St. Cloud State’s roster page lists his hometown as Langley and his high school as Sardis Secondary in Chilliwack, which is where he was playing junior by then.
Chilliwack, St. Cloud and the draft
He spent 2013 to 2016 with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs. In his draft year, 2015-16, he had 12 goals and 40 points in 50 regular-season games, added 15 points in 20 playoff games, and was a BCHL second-team all-star. He also helped Canada West win gold at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge.
The Detroit Red Wings took him 20th overall in June 2016. He spent that winter at St. Cloud State in the NCHC (12 points in 36 games, while enrolled in mechanical engineering, per the Huskies’ bio), then moved to the WHL for 2017-18. He captained the Prince George Cougars and finished the season with the Portland Winterhawks.
In the NHL
He debuted for Detroit on October 4, 2018. His first NHL goal, Wikipedia says, beat Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo. Since then the stops have been many:
| Years | Team |
|---|---|
| 2018 to 2021 | Detroit Red Wings (with AHL Grand Rapids) |
| 2021-22 | Seattle Kraken (expansion draft), briefly Washington, then back to Seattle |
| 2022 to 2025 | New York Islanders (mostly AHL Bridgeport) |
| 2025-26 | New Jersey Devils (17 NHL games, 2 assists) |
| 2026 onward | New York Rangers, two-year contract signed July 2, 2026 |
Daily Faceoff reported the Rangers deal as two-way in the first year and one-way in the second, with an $875,000 average NHL salary. Wikipedia lists him with the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack to start 2026-27.
Where to see the next one
Langley’s minor hockey is run by the Langley Minor Hockey Association. For junior hockey in town, see the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen and the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, who both play at the Langley Events Centre.
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Last checked October 22, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
