AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Red Wings Assign Four to Grand Rapids

Published on January 23, 2020 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Detroit Red Wings have assigned defenseman Dennis Cholowski, goaltender Calvin Pickard and forwards Givani Smith and Filip Zadina to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Cholowski has split his second pro season between Grand Rapids and Detroit. The 21-year-old has totaled eight points (2-6-8) and four penalty minutes while averaging 19:33 of ice time in 30 games for the Red Wings. In 17 appearances for the Griffins, Cholowski has notched five points (2-3-5) - including his first two AHL goals - and two PIM.

A 6-foot-2, 197-pound blueliner, Cholowski made his Red Wings debut on Oct. 4, 2018 - becoming the 169th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL - and has produced 24 points (9-15-24) and 20 PIM in 82 career games for Detroit.

Selected 20th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Red Wings, Cholowski has appeared in 43 regular season AHL contests for Grand Rapids over parts of three seasons (2016-17, 2018-20), totaling 17 points (2-15-17) and 12 PIM. In six Calder Cup Playoff tilts, he shows two assists.

Pickard has made three appearances for the Detroit this season and became the 181st Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he recorded 29 saves in his Red Wings debut on Nov. 29 at Philadelphia. The 27-year old has tallied a 13-8-3 record to go along with a 2.90 goals against average, a 0.902 save percentage and two shutouts in 24 appearances for the Griffins in 2019-20. He was named the AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 12 after compiling a 1.33 GAA and a 0.953 save percentage in three victories from Jan. 8-11.

Selected in the second round, 49th overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, Pickard has appeared in 107 NHL games with the Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes and Detroit since debuting in 2014-15 and has posted a 32-52-9 record, a 3.00 GAA, a 0.905 save mark and four shutouts.

A 6-foot-1, 210-pound netminder, Pickard has logged 224 games in the AHL since 2011-12 between the Lake Erie Monsters, San Antonio Rampage, Toronto Marlies, Tucson Roadrunners and Griffins, notching a 106-79-18 record, a 2.64 GAA, a 0.913 save percentage and 14 shutouts. A 2018 Calder Cup champion with Toronto, Pickard and Garret Sparks won the Harry Holmes Memorial Award, awarded to the goaltending duo with the lowest regular season GAA (2.24), in 2017-18.

Smith, 21, has split the 2019-20 campaign between the Red Wings and Griffins. In 15 games during his NHL debut, Smith has produced three points (2-1-3) and five PIM in 10:19 average ice time. He became the 180th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he made his debut on Oct. 25 vs. Buffalo and netted his first goal on Jan. 14 at the New York Islanders. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound winger, Smith has posted 13 points (4-9-13) and a team-high 59 PIM in 22 games for the Griffins. He has already matched his scoring output from last year's rookie campaign.

A second-round selection, 46th overall, by the Red Wings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Smith made his pro debut with the Griffins during a three-game stint near the end of the 2016-17 season. He has skated in 89 career AHL games, totaling 26 points (10-16-26) and 147 PIM. Smith made his Calder Cup Playoff debut last season and accounted for two assists and nine PIM in four games.

Zadina, 20, has averaged 14:52 of ice time in 26 games with the Red Wings this season and ranks among the team's leaders with 15 points (8th), eight goals (6th) and four power play goals (T3rd). Since becoming the 176th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he made his debut with the Red Wings on Feb. 24, 2019 vs. San Jose, Zadina has posted 18 points (9-9-18) in 35 career games.

A 6-foot, 188-pound winger, Zadina has appeared in 20 games for the Griffins in 2019-20 and contributed 13 points (7-6-13). The sixth overall selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit, Zadina has logged 79 games with the Griffins since turning pro last season, accounting for 48 points (23-25-48) and 26 PIM. In five Calder Cup Playoff games, Zadina shows three points (2-1-3).

The Griffins (19-19-2-4) are on a season-high seven-game point streak and continue their eight-game homestand against the San Diego Gulls on Friday at 7 p.m.

Single-game tickets are currently on sale. Fans can secure their full-season, select-season or group ticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2020


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