Dennis Cholowski-Red Wings photo.jpg

Dennis Cholowski was the 20th overall pick in the NHL draft by the Detroit Red Wings.

(Courtesy of Detroit Red Wings)

The analysts on NBC Sports Network called Dennis Cholowski, the Detroit Red Wings' top pick in this year's NHL draft, a project.

Tyler Wright disagrees.

The Red Wings director of amateur scouting doesn't think Cholowski was a reach just because he played Tier II hockey last season in the British Columbia Hockey League.

The BCHL might not be on the same level as Canada's other junior hockey leagues but it did have three players taken in the first 20 picks.

"It's a good league," Wright said after the Red Wings took Cholowski with the 20th overall pick. "Three kids today in that league got drafted in the first round. Tyson Jost went to Colorado, (Dante) Fabbro went to Nashville and we got Cholowski.

"It's kind of equivalent to the USHL. It's a feeder league for colleges. It's a good league."

The Red Wings got Cholowski after trading down in the draft as part of a deal that saw them unload Pavel Datsyuk's $7.5-million salary cap hit on Arizona. They swapped first-round picks with the Coyotes while picking up an additional second-round pick.

Defense was a priority for the Red Wings and Cholowski was not only the top-rated player on their draft board when the 20th pick rolled around, he was also the top blue-liner still available, according to the NHL Central Scouting rankings.

Central Scouting had Cholowski ranked No. 23 overall - that was up from 48th at midseason - and No. 8 among defensemen. The seven defensemen ahead of him were all selected among the first 18 picks.

"He was the next guy on our board," Wright said. "He's just a heckuva hockey player. He's got great mobility, he's a very good skater, he's got good puck skills, he can move pucks very well. He can jump into the rush, he can defend plays in all situations.

"I think all that stuff he could get better at but he's got a good package and a good starting point as far as development. We believe he's got top-four potential and that's why we took him."

Wright said the Red Wings viewed Cholowski as one of the best-skating defensemen in the draft.

The independent scouting service Red Line Report projects Cholowski to be a steady, mobile, mistake-free fourth defenseman.

RLR says Cholowski is patient with the puck, sees the entire ice while trying to make plays and can play in all situations - something the Red Wings plan on doing with the 18-year-old native of Langley, British Columbia.

"He's an elite thinker," Wright said. "We think his hockey sense is very good. He's just a guy that can play in any position, late in a game, early in a game, never have to hide him because of size and skating ability.

"He's one of the best-skating defensemen in this draft. Kind of been a little bit of a late bloomer, has done a lot of growing in the last couple years. We still believe he could still be growing for that matter, which would be a plus.

"And it was an area of need for us for defense. We think we've got a good group of kids coming along. We thought he'd fit in that defense mold for us."

In 50 games last season, the 6-foot, 170-pound Cholowski had 12 goals, 28 assists and 16 penalty minutes. A second-team BCHL All-Star, his 11 assists and 15 points in 20 playoff games led all defensemen.

Cholowski will play next season at St. Cloud University after attending the Red Wings annual development camp next month in Traverse City.

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