Red Wings reassign Pearson, Cholowski and Lindstrom to Grand Rapids
Pearson, 23, is entering his second professional campaign after spending the 2019-20 season with the Griffins, recording 22 points (8-14-22) and 17 penalty minutes in 59 games. He also skated in 10 games with Grand Rapids after he turned pro following his junior season at the University of Maine in 2018-19, chipping in two points (2-0-2) and two penalty minutes for a total of 24 points (10-14-24) and 19 penalty minutes in 69 career AHL contests. Pearson was a two-year captain at Maine, capping off his collegiate career with 29 points (16-13-29) in 34 games with the Black Bears. In 107 games at the NCAA level, the 6-foot-2, 201-pound forward registered 78 points (37-41-78), a plus-18 rating and 132 penalty minutes. He was named Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward and was a Hockey East Second-Team All-Star in 2018-19.
Originally drafted by Detroit in the fifth round (140th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Pearson played parts of three seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League from 2013-16, totaling 76 points (24-52-76), a plus-42 rating and 157 penalty minutes in 114 games. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native also won bronze for the United States at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, chipping in six points (2-4-6) in five games. Pearson is the son of Scott Pearson, who skated in 292 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders from 1988-00.
Cholowski, 22, enters his third professional season after splitting his second pro season between Detroit and Grand Rapids. In 36 games with the Red Wings during the 2019-20 campaign, Cholowski recorded eight points (2-6-8) and six penalty minutes, while ranking second among the team's defensemen with five power-play points (1-4-5). He also appeared in 30 games with the Griffins last season and contributed 13 points (3-10-13) and eight penalty minutes. Dating back to his professional debut at the end of the 2016-17 season, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound defenseman has 25 points (3-22-25) and 20 penalty minutes in 56 AHL games and two points (0-2-2) and two penalty minutes in six Calder Cup Playoff games. In two NHL seasons with the Red Wings, Cholowski has totaled 24 points (9-15-24) and 22 penalty minutes in 88 career games.
Originally selected by Detroit in the first round (20th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Cholowski played one season of college hockey and one season of major junior after he was drafted before turning professional. In 2016-17, he logged 12 points (1-11-12) in 36 games at St. Cloud State University, before racking up 66 points (14-52-66) in 69 games between the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks during the 2017-18 campaign. A native of Langley, British Columbia, Cholowski won a gold medal with Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge. He spent parts of three seasons (2013-16) with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the British Columbia Hockey League before he was drafted, notching 67 points (16-51-67) and 20 penalty minutes in 105 regular-season games and adding 22 points (4-18-22) and four penalty minutes in 32 postseason games.
Lindstrom, 21, enters his second North American professional season after beginning the 2020-21 campaign with Almtuna IS of the second-tier Swedish Allsvenskan. The blueliner skated in 20 games with Almtuna, recording 11 assists and 20 penalty minutes before returning to Detroit for the team's Training Camp. Lindstrom appeared in 16 NHL games during his first professional season in 2019-20, tallying one assist, nine shots on goal, 19 hits and 15 blocked shots in 16:32 average time on ice. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman also skated in 45 games with the Griffins in his first season in North America, notching five points (0-5-5) and 26 penalty minutes. In 2018-19, Lindstrom won a Swedish Hockey League championship with Frolunda HC, notching six points (3-3-6) and 50 penalty minutes in 40 regular-season games and skating in six postseason games. Frolunda also captured a championship in the Champions League tournament, in which Lindstrom ranked second among the team's defensemen with six points (2-4-6) in 11 games.
Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the second round (38th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Lindstrom has played in 182 professional games between the NHL, AHL, SHL and second-tier Swedish Allsvenskan. In 87 games with Almtuna IS between 2016-18, he totaled 23 points (8-15-23) and 60 penalty minutes. The Ostervala, Sweden, native also picked up a silver medal at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, notching one assist and eight penalty minutes in seven games. Prior to turning professional, Lindstrom played for Almtuna's junior teams, totaling 20 points (9-11-20) and 16 penalty minutes at the under-20 level and 51 points (20-31-51) and 68 penalty minutes in 59 games in the under-18 ranks.
