Detroit — Dennis Cholowski and Michael Rasmussen both came to their dressing stalls after the first morning skate of the season seeming calm and excited.
Cholowski, 20, and Rasmussen, 19, are both used to taking the next step in hockey. They have been doing it since early adolescence.
But, this time, the next step is The Big Step.
Cholowski and Rasmussen played their first games in the NHL for the Red Wings on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.
And, while the Wings entered opening night with five players new to the NHL — the most they debuted since the season before Steve Yzerman became captain in 1985 — the spotlight is brighter for their two first-round draft picks, from 2016 and 2017.