After an eventful start to NHL free agency, the New York Rangers continued strengthening their organizational depth on Thursday by signing veteran defenseman Dennis Cholowski and forward Glenn Gawdin to identical two-year contracts. While neither player is expected to play a major role with the NHL club immediately, both additions are designed to reinforce the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, as the organization works to improve its developmental pipeline.
Each player agreed to a contract worth $1.75 million over two seasons, carrying an average annual value of $875,000. According to contract details released by PuckPedia, Cholowski will receive guaranteed AHL salaries of $450,000 in 2026-27 and $900,000 in 2027-28, while Gawdin is guaranteed $700,000 during the first season and $750,000 in the second.
The signings come after a disappointing campaign for Hartford, which finished at the bottom of the 30-team AHL standings in 2025-26 with just 60 points and a 26-38-5-3 record. By bringing in two experienced professionals, the Rangers hope to provide leadership, stability and improved production for a young Wolf Pack roster.
Among the two newcomers, Cholowski appears to have the stronger chance of seeing NHL action during the upcoming season.
The 28-year-old defenseman appeared in 17 games with the New Jersey Devils last season, recording two assists while averaging 14 minutes, 40 seconds of ice time per game. Originally selected 20th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Cholowski has accumulated 13 goals, 29 assists and 42 points across 173 NHL games while playing for several organizations.
After the Devils acquired him from the New York Islanders in March 2025, Cholowski spent limited time at the NHL level, appearing in only 23 games with New Jersey before entering free agency.
Although he could compete for the Rangers’ seventh defenseman role during training camp—particularly if top prospect Alberts Šmits begins the season in Hartford—the expectation is that Cholowski will spend most of the year in the AHL unless injuries create opportunities in New York.
His experience should prove valuable for the Wolf Pack’s young defensive corps.
Over the past five seasons, Cholowski has played 185 AHL games, producing 93 points on 12 goals and 81 assists. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 210 pounds, he offers solid size and enough NHL experience to serve as an emergency call-up if necessary.
Still, despite favorable offensive deployment throughout much of his NHL career, consistent production at hockey’s highest level has remained elusive. His best season came in 2018-19 with Detroit, when he established career highs with 52 games played, seven goals, nine assists, and 16 points.
Since the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign, however, Cholowski has appeared in only 85 NHL games, been placed on waivers multiple times, and was left unprotected during the 2021 Expansion Draft, illustrating how difficult it has been for him to secure a permanent NHL role.
Meanwhile, Glenn Gawdin projects as a dependable veteran presence for Hartford but faces considerably longer odds of earning time with the Rangers.
The 29-year-old center has appeared in just 13 NHL games since being selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. His lone NHL point came on an assist, and he has not appeared in an NHL game since skating for the Anaheim Ducks in March 2024.
Despite his limited NHL résumé, Gawdin has developed into one of the AHL’s more productive forwards.
Last season, he scored 16 goals and 51 points with the Ontario Reign, the top affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, finishing among the team’s leaders in both assists and overall scoring. His most productive professional season came in 2024-25, when he posted career-best totals of 26 goals, 36 assists, 62 points, and a plus-23 rating.
Standing 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Gawdin is expected to fill a top-six role for Hartford while providing offensive production and veteran leadership under first-year head coach Jay Leach.
Unless the Rangers experience significant injuries among their forwards, however, Gawdin is widely expected to spend the entirety of his contract in the AHL.
While neither signing is likely to generate headlines at the NHL level, both moves reflect New York’s continued effort to strengthen organizational depth and create a more competitive environment throughout its development system as preparations continue for the 2026-27 season.
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