Even after he'd racked up two assists as the game's first star to help trigger a 4-3 win over the Prince George Cougars Tuesday night at CN Centre, Dennis Cholowski was still a popular guy with his old Cougar teammates.
There was a long lineup for post-game hugs, handshakes and high-fives in the tunnel between the two dressing rooms and Cholowski, the Winterhawks' stud defenceman, was the centre of attention. Nearly two months have passed since he turned in his Cougars jersey and gave up his captaincy in Prince George to move to Portland in one of the most high-profile trades of the Western Hockey League season.
In 26 games since he joined the Winterhawks, not including Wednesday's game, the native of Langley has a goal and 24 assists and carries a plus-20 ranking. Cholowski has maintained a point-per-game pace throughout the season with 14 goals and 50 assists for 64 points through 63 games.
He says it's been an easy adjustment getting used to a team that, heading into Wednesday's game against the Cougars, ranked third in the WHL for fewest goals allowed.
"Everybody here has so much talent and they welcomed me in when I first got here and it's been great," Cholowski said. "I really like it in Portland, it's a big city and it's a lot a warmer, that's for sure. Having 10,000 fans on a Saturday night is the best thing.
"I try to bring the same role that I had in P.G. - just try to be a leader and play the same way I was playing so not a lot's changed. Not only do we have a lot of talent but guys work hard and block shots and play defence too. Hopefully we can go on a bit of a winning streak and challenge Everett for first place but if not have Spokane (in the first round) and that would be a good series."
Cholowski has been following the Cougars' progress since the trade deadline, when they dealt several of their best players to get younger and try to build a winner one or two years down the road. They've been playing well lately in the homestand, having beaten Kelowna twice, Victoria once and they nearly forced overtime in Tuesday's game against a tough Hawks team that's loaded for a long playoff run.
"It was fun, getting to see them all again," said Cholowski. "That's the team I remember, guys who work hard and they battle, so every game against them is going to be tough. That team has a lot of good young guys and in the future they're going to be good for sure. The future is looking bright for Prince George, for sure."
For Cholowski, who celebrated his 20th birthday Feb. 15, the two-game set against the Cougars Tuesday and Wednesday will very likely be the last time he plays at CN Centre. Winterhawks head coach and general manager Mike Johnston, who made the deal to acquire Cholowski, considers him a complete defenceman with very few weaknesses and is certain he won't be back next year to complete his final season of junior eligibility.
"Early in the year when I saw him play I thought he was a very mobile type of defenceman, jumps up ice, makes a good first pass, and I thought early in the year if we could ever get a player like that to help us out down the stretch that would be great and it turns out we were able to make that type of a deal," said Johnston.
"But I didn't realize how good he was. He's a better player than I even though the was. He's very good defensively and I compare him to (Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman) Seth Jones, who we had several years ago. Seth never ran over you physically, but he was strong, he used his body well, he had a good stick defensively, and then when he got the puck his transition pass or skating was really good and I think Dennis is a lot like that. He's a better defensive player than I thought."
The Detroit Red Wings obviously liked what they saw in Cholowski when they picked him in the first round, 20th overall in the 2016 draft. "He's going to be a good pro, he's well-suited to the game," said Johnston. "He might be ready to step right in (to the Red Wings) next year. Some people say he might have to be a bit more physical or use his shot more. Well everybody still has to add something to the game.
"I think today's defencemen, especially when you think of Detroit or Chicago, those types of teams that transition, they want their defence to skate and move the puck. I really think Detroit is craving a guy like that now, that can play that type of style. He was well schooled here (in Prince George) and I don't know what happened at college, I don't think he got the opportunity and the playing time (last season at St. Cloud State), but certainly coming back to our league has been good for him.
"We won't get him back next year, there's not a chance. We knew we would only have him for a short time but he's a pro in everything he does and the guys in the room will learn from him and then he'll move on."
Johnston gave up some talented young players and high draft picks to get Cholowski and two of those players - forwards Ilijah Colina and Connor Bowie - were given a chance to shine on Tuesday night.
Colina scored the Cougars' third goal in the third period and it was beauty, a toe-drag into the middle to fool Matthew Quigley, followed by a ripper of a wrist shot into the net while falling.
The trade, which sent the rights to 18-year-old goalie Ty Taylor to Portland, also gave the Cougars Portland's first- and third-round bantam draft picks in 2020, second-round picks in 2018 and 2019, and a conditional sixth-round choice in 2019.
