"'You're kind of like a hero, an idol,'" he told him. "'They're going to watch you to see how well you do over in North America. You're one of the first to ever do this, play professional over in North America at this level, and play well. So you're a role model, you have to act accordingly and work extremely hard. But most of all, enjoy this life experience.'"
Atlanta coach Jeff Pyle said Shin is the most disciplined player he has ever coached.
"He's committed to details, skates really well, and is a great teammate," Pyle said. "He played well for us amidst the call-ups and injuries we had last season. This year in particular, we had so many guys in the season come to us from the Tucson Roadrunners of the [American Hockey League]. However, once those guys went back up, he got his chance and had a terrific second half."
Pyle, who is also Atlanta's director of hockey operations, said he first noticed Shin when the team hosted Anyang Halla for a preseason game on October 16, 2021, which Atlanta won 3-2 in overtime.
"I saw them practicing and just keyed in on how well that all skated, and just how fast and skilled they all were," Pyle said, "but Sanghoon definitely stood out."
Atlanta signed Shin on January 31, 2022, fulfilling his desire to challenge himself by playing in North America. But the transition wasn't easy.
"It was hard adjusting to the size of the ice rink because it is smaller in America compared to Korea," Shin said. "However, I was lucky enough to have great teammates who helped me adjust."