Detroit City Wire

Dominik Shine, a 31-year-old forward from Pinckney, Michigan, made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. The day began with a call from Grand Rapids Griffins General Manager Shawn Horcoff, informing Shine of his opportunity to play for the Red Wings against the Los Angeles Kings.

Shine quickly adjusted his plans and traveled from Grand Rapids to Detroit. Reflecting on his performance in the Red Wings' 5-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena, Shine described the experience as special. He recorded two hits, two takeaways, and one blocked shot in 9:50 of ice time.

“Being a kid from Detroit, it’s something you dream about,” Shine said. He also signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings that afternoon.

During warmups, Shine shared a moment with his family as he saw his son Cooper and wife Taylor watching him from against the glass. “I can’t put it into words,” he remarked about seeing his son recognize him on the ice.

Shine's journey nearly ended last year when he considered retiring due to family commitments. However, he decided to continue playing for another season so that his son could see him play.

A product of the Little Caesars Amateur Hockey program and Northern Michigan University alum, Shine joined the Griffins in 2017 as an undrafted free agent. Since then, he has accumulated 170 points over 462 games with them.

Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan praised Shine’s leadership and perseverance. “He shepherds the group [in Grand Rapids],” McLellan said. “He takes care of it. He leads.”

This season, Shine leads the Griffins in assists (21) and points (32) through 40 games. His performance indicates he's on track to surpass previous AHL career-highs in various offensive categories.

“We have a ton of new guys who work extremely hard," Shine commented about his team in Grand Rapids. "It’s been really fun.”