DETROIT -- Dominik Shine was taking his son, Cooper, to buy hockey skates at Perani’s Hockey World in Grand Rapids, Mich., when Grand Rapids Griffins General Manager Shawn Horcoff gave him a call on Monday morning.
Horcoff broke the news to Shine that he was going to make his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings later that night.
So, the 31-year-old forward rerouted to Dick’s Sporting Goods and got his son a ball before hustling home to pack his bags because he had to drive from Grand Rapids to Detroit.
Several hours later, while reflecting on his NHL debut, which saw him record two hits and two takeaways with one blocked shot in 9:50 of ice time in the Red Wings’ 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings at Little Caesars Arena, Shine added that the entire day itself was special from start to finish.
“Being a kid from Detroit, it’s something you dream about,” said Shine, who also signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings on Monday afternoon. “I don’t know, you pretend like you’re on the Red Wings or put on a jersey. But to actually be able to wear it in a regular-season game is something I’ll cherish forever.”