The New Jersey Devils don’t have an extensive list of players set to hit free agency once the playoffs conclude, but there are some minor pieces set to enter unrestricted free agency. Today, we start looking at unrestricted free agent Devils with a pair of depth defenders. Both Dennis Cholowski and Colton White played a decent amount of games in New Jersey this past season, and they’re obviously familiar with the team and their systems. So is it worth bringing one or both of them back next season?
Let’s dive in and find out.
Who is Dennis Cholowski and What Has He Done as a Devil?
Much like he was when Chris wrote about him last offseason, Cholowski remains a depth defenseman in the Devils system. He is once again an unrestricted free agent after the Devils gave him a one year league minimum deal. While he only appeared in six contests as a Devil in 2024-25, he did manage 39 NHL games overall between those and 33 with the Islanders. He scored three goals and added seven assists for te points, although none of them came in his time in New Jersey.
Thankfully in 2025-26 he only appeared in 17 games (though sadly all were for the Devils) registering a mere two assists across those appearances. Even in limited appearances and with limited minutes on an underachieving Devils team, Cholowski still managed to look as though he did not belong in the NHL on most nights. While his AHL stats were better (five assists in 13 contests), it was a really low bar to clear. His numbers still are not what one would expect from a player whose main positive attribute is supposed to be his offense. He is what he is at this point, which is an AHL caliber player who you hope doesn’t get called up into NHL duty.
What Will Cholowski Do Going Forward? What is His Value?
While Utica could certainly do worse than Cholowski, I’d stand to say they could probably do better than having him in their ranks as well. New Jersey is absolutely better off without Cholowski than they would be with him. It’s true some defenders blossom later into their careers, but we’re usually talking by their age 26-27 seasons at latest; Cholowski is heading into his age 28-29 season and I just don’t see him suddenly becoming a competent defender over the course of one summer. You’re looking at a guy who probably hangs around the AHL and as spots for veterans get more and more competitive with more players aging up, he might eventually make the leap overseas to finish his career. For now, I think he’s a known commodity and there will be at least a couple of teams who see value enough for him to want to stick around.
Unless he does decide that the grass looks greener overseas, I could see him getting another league minimum contract. I don’t think a 17 game sample size (or 30 if you want to include his AHL appearances) of mediocre to bad play earns a player anything other than the lowest amount the league contractually allows teams to pay. While I do believe he will probably get a couple of offers for league minimum or maybe SLIGHTLY above it, I don’t think a depth defender is going to wind up seeing teams engage in a bidding war over him.
Who is Colton White and What Has He Done as a Devil?
Colton White came back to the Devils in the summer of 2024 on a two year deal after spending a pair of seasons with Anaheim. Originally a 2015 fourth round draft selection of the Devils, White started off with enough promise to earn a few game stints in each of the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. He did not show enough promise, however to overtake any of the team’s other defenders at time, and eventually, he wound up being passed on the team’s depth chart by other defenders. That could be part of what led to him leaving for the Ducks, as upon his arrival in Anaheim, he would play 46 games, the most NHL games in one season of his career still to this day.
In his most recent stint, White has spent most of his time in Utica. He had a a great 2024-25 for a poor Utica team with 21 points in 61 appearances. He would split 2025-25 between Utica and New Jersey, making 30 appearances in the AHL and 23 in the NHL. The nicest thing I can say about White’s 23 NHL contests is that he had four assists while playing below average defense. He was last called up in mid-February and sent back down a week and a half later; even with the Devils being down Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce at the end of the season, White’s lackluster play meant he was not brought back up to the NHL.
What Will White Do Going Forward? What is His Value?
Much like Cholowski, I think White is what he is at this point which is a depth defender, especially considering he’s actually slightly older than Cholowski. I see a similar trajectory for the rest of his career: mostly minor league games, maybe a small stint here or there in the NHL as an injury fill-in, possibly finishing up his career overseas depending upon team situations, roster spots, and other unpredictable factors like injuries. As such, White is another league minimum guy.
As I said above for Cholowski, maybe, MAYBE some GM feels generous, or decides they need Colton White in their system and they offer a bit more than league minimum to entice him. I personally don’t see that being the case, and I think White’s path forward might depend upon where he sees a chance for himself to earn more minutes and NHL games. The Devils may not be stacked at left defense, but White is not better than the players they have playing regular NHL minutes. I also think the fact that the Devils seemed to prefer having Cholowski up over White at the end of the season shows where he falls on their depth chart; White’s path forward seems as if it will need another franchise if he wants NHL time.
What I Would Do With Them and What I Think the Devils Will Do
As I mentioned when talk about each player, I could see them each getting another one way deal at league minimum. I could also see them accepting a deal with a two way structure that sees them earn less in the AHL to stay in North America; at the same time, some players reject those deals if they feel they can make more overseas. If I were being asked to make the decision here, I wouldn’t be offering one of those deals to either of those players. If you forced me to choose one, I would pick White, as while I don’t think highly of his defending, I still think he’s better than Cholowski. I think if the Devils are looking for veterans to mentor their younger defenders in the AHL, they can find a player or two with a bit more ability to actually defend.
I think and hope that with new General Manager Sunny Mehta taking over, the organization will try to shed some of their underachievers and that includes at the minor league level. The fact that Utica has started off the last pair of seasons unbelievably poorly means that some of the personnel needs to be changed in order to achieve different results. I think the Devils will pass on bringing back either of these players, but the unpredictability with a new GM and of the NHL free agency period in general means you never know for sure until the contracts are signed.
Your Take
Now I’d like to hear your thoughts as to what the Devils should do with this pair of defenders. Should they offer a contract to bring both back? Just White? Just Cholowski? Do you agree that the team should look elsewhere for depth defense help/AHL defenders? Is there some part of either player’s game that makes you want the Devils to bring them back? Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!
