Griffins Get Three From Detroit

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday reassigned center Chase Pearson and defensemen Dennis Cholowski and Gustav Lindstrom to the Grand Rapids Griffins from their taxi squad. Cholowski and Lindstrom have been on that unit since the start of the NHL season, while Pearson joined that group for the first time on Sunday.

Cholowski, 22, has split time between Grand Rapids and Detroit the last two seasons and now totals 56 games as a Griffin (3-22—25) and 88 more as a Red Wing (9-15—24). Last season, the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft contributed eight points (2-6—8) in 36 games with the parent club and another 13 (3-10—13) in 30 contests with Grand Rapids.

Lindstrom, 22, logged his first North American campaign in 2019-20, compiling five assists in 45 games as a Griffin before making his NHL debut with Detroit on Feb. 6 at Buffalo and continuing on to chip in one assist in 16 appearances with the Red Wings. A second-round pick in 2017, he began the current season on loan to Almtuna in Sweden’s Allsvenskan league, compiling 11 assists in 20 games.

Pearson, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Red Wings in 2015. After scoring two goals in a 10-game debut with the Griffins in 2018-19 following the conclusion of his collegiate career at the University of Maine, he tied for ninth on Grand Rapids in scoring last season as a rookie, totaling 22 points (8-14—22) in 59 games.

Griffins training camp practices will continue through Thursday at Van Andel Arena, as the team prepares to open the 2020-21 season on the road this Friday against the Chicago Wolves at 8 p.m. EST. Grand Rapids will play its first four games in hostile territory before returning to Van Andel Arena on Saturday, Feb. 20 for Opening Night presented by Huntington, when the Cleveland Monsters will provide the opposition at 4 p.m.

Griffins practices are closed to the public but open to media, with several new procedures and requirements in place. Any media needing information or assistance are invited to contact the Griffins’ public relations department.

While the Griffins remain hopeful for the potential to host fans at Van Andel Arena at some point, it is anticipated that the season will begin without fans in attendance. Fans are encouraged to watch the games via a subscription to AHLTV ($34.99 for all 30 Griffins games), tune in on Newsradio WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM, and follow the team’s social media channels. Important information for Griffins season ticket members is available at griffinshockey.com.

Photo of Dennis Cholowski by Mark Newman/Griffins