Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy, Not Even For NHLers

Last week, while forward Michael Rasmussen was agreeing to terms on a new contract with the Detroit Red Wings, Dennis Cholowski’s tenure as a Red Wing was coming to an end.

Defenseman Cholowski was the Red Wings players selected by the Seattle Kraken in the NHL expansion draft.

I was with him when he kind of found out the news,” Rasmussen said. “I’ve definitely been in touch with him.

“It’s tough. I’ll definitely miss him and a lot of the guys will miss him.”

Watching from afar the glamorous lifestyle that professional athletes lead, it’s easy to forget that their also human beings, with standard human emotions. Theirs is a profession in which the upending of lives is commonplace. The separation of friends can arrive at a moment’s notice. Yet, expectations are they they’ll go on with life as if it’s business as usual.

Yes, it’s part of the the life they choose to lead but that doesn’t make parting any less sorrowful.

“He’s kind of a Day 1 guy for me,” Rasmussen send of Cholowski. Cholowski was Detroit’s top pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft. Ramsmussen was chosen in the first round in 2017. “We’re kind of in it together since Day 1.

“He’ll definitely be missed by me. We’ve always kind of tried to have each other’s backs and lift each other up and support each other.

“That won’t change. We’ll still do that for each other. I guess kind of on opposite ends of the spectrum now.”

Opportunity Knocks

On a positive note, Rasmussen believes that moving to Seattle could provide the elixir that gets Cholowski’s NHL career cracking.

“Seeing him around and texting him, I think he’s excited,” Rasmussen said. “He’s gonna do great things wherever he would be.

“I’m happy for him and I’m excited for him.”