GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings have reassigned defenseman Dennis Cholowski from the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Detroit’s first-round selection, 20th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Cholowski combined for 66 points (14-52—66), a plus-29 rating and 32 penalty minutes while splitting his first major junior campaign between Prince George (13-26—39 in 37 GP) and Portland (1-26—27 in 32 GP) of the Western Hockey League. He ranked among the WHL’s top defensemen in points (8th), goals (T6th), assists (8th), plus-minus rating (T12th), shots (180, 12th) and power play points (32, T3rd). The 20-year-old also led Portland with five playoff goals in 12 games while his seven points finished sixth.

A 6-foot-1, 200-pound blueliner, Cholowski notched 12 points (1-11—12) and 14 PIM in 36 games during his lone collegiate campaign at St. Cloud State University (NCHC) in 2016-17. He made his professional debut with the Griffins later that year, skating in the team’s season finale at Milwaukee.

Prior to college, Cholowski appeared in 106 games with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League from 2013-16 and totaled 67 points (16-51—67). He was named to the league’s second all-star team in 2015-16 after pacing all team defensemen in scoring and tying for fifth among league blueliners with 40 points (12-28—40) in 50 games.

A native of Langley, British Columbia, Cholowski won a gold medal with Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in 2015-16.

Second-seeded Grand Rapids will face third-seeded Manitoba in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals. Game 1 is set for this Saturday at Manitoba.

Tickets for Games 3 and 4 (if necessary) of the division semifinals at Van Andel Arena are currently on sale and can be purchased at all Star Tickets locations, including The Zone, online through griffinshockey.com/tickets, by phone through Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737, or via the Griffins app for iPhone or Android.