Cholowski hitting waiver wire could signal bigger move

The New York Islanders placed 27-year-old defenseman Dennis Cholowski on waivers on Thursday. The news isn’t precisely earth-shattering as Cholowski has been on the bubble all season long. He was the seventh defenseman to start the season but gained more attention as injuries blasted the Isles blue line.

However, the addition of Adam Boqvist likely pushed Cholowski out the door, making him a casualty of the musical chairs that is NHL roster voodoo. The move likely isn’t an indictment on Cholowski being a bad player. Rather, the move signals that a bigger deal could be in the works.

The likeliest move could be the return of Scott Mayfield to the lineup. According to Daily Faceoff, Mayfield could be in the lineup on Sunday as the Isles host the Dallas Stars in their first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

But there could be something else at play, here. Perhaps the Isles are gearing up for another move. With news floating around potential trades involving Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, and Noah Dobson, Islanders management is taking proactive steps to free up a roster spot for another player who will be joining the team.

There is no certainty regarding such a move at this point. Nevertheless, it’s an idea worth looking into as the trade deadline looms, and just about the entire league will be busy making moves for the postseason and beyond.

In my estimation, the Islanders should be buyers, given they’re still within striking distance of a playoff spot this season.

Cholowski likely clears waivers and goes back down to Bridgeport

With Dennis Cholowski hitting the waiver wire, it’s highly likely he clears and heads down to Bridgeport. Now, it’s worth pointing out that Cholowski isn’t a bad player. However, there may not be much of a market for him at this point. That is why he likely clears.

If he does, the Islanders win by keeping a serviceable seventh defenseman. If anything, Cholowski likely comes back up for the postseason, should the Islanders make it. Otherwise, Cholowski ends the season with Bridgeport, leading him to free agency this summer.

With a $775K contract, it wouldn’t be ludicrous to imagine the Islanders bringing Cholowski back on another one-year deal next season. The Isles could certainly use depth defensive help moving forward. Then again, there’s a chance the Islanders move on from Cholowski, allowing him to explore the market.

Cholowski could find a home with another team looking to add depth defense at the NHL level and needing solid defensive support at the AHL level. While it would be sad to see Cholowski leave the New York Islanders, the nature of NHL business has made Cholowski expandable.

It remains to be seen if the Islanders have another move up their sleeves in the coming days or weeks.