The Athletic’s Max Bultman posted a comprehensive, in-depth article about Grand Rapids Griffins forward Dominik Shine’s NHL debut at 31 years of age, and its inspirational effects upon those around him:
“Pretty much every game I’ve played so far, someone’s come up to me and said, you know, ‘Hey man, so pumped for you, that’s awesome,’ or little things like that,” Shine said by phone last week. “It really means a lot. It was pretty overwhelming, though.”
“Even when we were in Milwaukee, their head coach came over to our locker room, right outside the door, and talked to him and congratulated him,” said Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson.
Shine said the response to his long-awaited debut — he received roughly 950 texts after his first game — was “a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.”
After a career outside the spotlight, maybe that makes sense. On the other hand, it underscores how widely Shine’s story resonates.
An overlooked, heart-and-soul player who had spent his entire career with the same organization finally getting his shot at the age of 31 is more than a feel-good story for fans. It will ripple down to players throughout the minor leagues, giving them a reason to believe that, if they keep going, one day their hard work could pay off, too.
“It’s perseverance,” said Griffins assistant coach Brian Lashoff. “You can say it all you want, I think, but to see it is a totally different thing.”
Continued (paywall)
