New York Islanders place former first-round pick on waivers

According to Friedman, the Islanders are moving on from former Detroit Red Wings first-round pick Dennis Cholowski, who has struggled to catch on at the NHL level since being drafted way back in 2016.

The 27-year-old defenseman has been solid with the Bridgeport Islanders, however, tallying a solid 69 points in 135 games over the past two years, though he has played in New York for just 35 games during that time.

The 6-foot-2 British Colombia native has struggled in Detroit, Seattle, Washington and New York, and he now finds himself at a crossroads in his career.

All signs point to Cholowski simply being a good AHLer without the transcendent talent needed to take a jump to the NHL level. With the Islanders blueline getting healthy, even if he clears waivers, he likely won't get another chance in 2024-25.

Ultimately, though, he still has time to turn things around, and perhaps he simply needs a better chance elsewhere to make things finally work out. For now, Cholowski is available, and if he goes unclaimed, he may find himself in the AHL for years to come.