Islanders re-sign Dennis Cholowski to one-year, two-way deal

An experienced blueliner is staying in the northeast for another year.

On Wednesday, the New York Islanders re-signed defenseman Dennis Cholowski to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal carries a $775,000 NHL cap hit for the 2024-25 season, with a minor-league salary of $250,000. $300,000 of the contract is guaranteed.

Cholowski has spent the last two seasons with the Islanders organization. He signed a two-year contract in August 2022, with a cap hit of $762,500.

Yet, the Langley, British Columbia native has spent the majority of his time with the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders. Cholowski played two games for New York during the 2022-23 campaign, but didn’t appear in the NHL at all in 2023-24.

During this past season in Bridgeport, Cholowski scored seven goals and 24 assists, with his 31 points just a step down from his career-high 38 that he reached two years ago.

Cholowski was originally taken by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft. He spent three seasons with the Red Wings organization, playing a career-high 52 games during his rookie 2018-19 season.

The Seattle Kraken took the former Portland Winterhawk in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Cholowski then had a fun little back-and-forth. The Kraken placed him on waivers in October of that year, but the Washington Capitals claimed him. Then, in February of the 2021-22 season, the Capitals put him back on waivers, only to be claimed by the Kraken.

In 117 NHL games, Cholowski has scored 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points. He hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since January 2023. In 235 AHL appearances, he has totaled 17 goals and 105 assists, including three assists in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games.