Griffins veteran Dominik Shine is enjoying the limelight, having built a successful pro career with one team while discovering the joys of fatherhood.

Story and photo by Mark Newman

        Dominik Shine has experienced his share of highs and lows during his time in Grand Rapids, so he is appreciating the moment.

        At age 31, Shine is taking great pleasure in the good fortune that is brightening his day at present. One month into the 2024-25 season, he was the Griffins' leading scorer – a pleasant statistical surprise for the former fourth-line forward. He is also basking in the bliss of first-time fatherhood – his wife Taylor gave birth to their son, Cooper, on April 26, 2023.

        Life is good.

        It's a sterling state of affairs for Shine, now in his ninth season with the Griffins, the third-longest playing tenure in the organization's history behind only former defensemen Brian Lashoff (14 seasons) and Travis Richards (10). Although he never imagined his pro career in Grand Rapids would last as long as it has, the achievement corresponds to his continuing commitment.

        Shine's playing record is possibly the most orderly that has ever belonged to a player who has worn a Griffins jersey – four years of junior hockey with the USHL's Lincoln Stars and four years at Northern Michigan University before nine seasons in Grand Rapids.

        Sure, Shine wishes there might have been a game or two in the NHL along the way, but he's happy to have found a home with Grand Rapids.

        "I've always wanted a chance to play in the NHL, and that hasn't happened for me, but the way I was raised is you just keep your head down and you work, and that's what I've been trying to do," he said.

        "As long as I can keep doing that, I should have a job. I think that's what's kept me around here for nine years now. I just go about my business and work as hard as I can, and hopefully, good things happen."

        Shine has fond memories of his arrival in Grand Rapids. He joined the Griffins late in the 2016-17 season, appearing in eight AHL games after completing his senior season in Marquette with Northern's Wildcats. He did not appear in any games during the team's Calder Cup Playoff run, but witnessing history – the Griffins proceeded to win their second championship in five years – left an indelible mark.

        "I'll never forget the guys in the locker room that first year. That's what I'll always remember," he said. "I still talk to a lot of them. I still play fantasy football with a number of them.

        "When you're coming into the league, you build those relationships that stay with you. Maybe you don't have kids and you're just a single guy living in Grand Rapids, so you enjoy going out with your friends and stuff like that. It's the relationships that matter."

        Shine could feel that he was joining a special group.

        "When I came into the AHL, we obviously had a great team because we won the Cup that year. We had good teams the following couple of years, too, but we just didn't get it done. It was fun to be a part of those good teams. We had a little slump for a couple of years, but you could feel it building back up and we're finally getting back to where we need to be."

        He can attest to the truth that time flies when you're having fun. He doesn't think long to offer the advice that he might give to his younger self.

        "As a young guy, the microscope is on you a little bit with coaches. So on the ice, I would say to keep things simple, make the right plays, and that will create opportunities for you in the offensive zone. Don't try to force anything that's not there. You've got to learn how to be a reliable player. Once you're a reliable player, then you can take more chances.

        "Off the ice, enjoy time with your teammates because it all goes fast. They will become some of your best friends that you will meet, so really enjoy those times, especially on the road when you go to fun cities in California or Texas. Enjoy those times with your teammates because you'll remember that stuff."

        Shine rattles off the names of former teammates with whom he stays in touch: Dylan McIlrath, Eric Tangradi, Taro Hirose, Turner Elson, Dan Renouf, Calvin Pickard, and Tyler Spezia, the latter being his best friend in hockey. "The way hockey works is sometimes you make friendships and sometimes you get to play together. It's pretty special when you do," he said. "I cherish those times with all my teammates."

        He believes he is a better player today because of his teammates. He certainly has become a more disciplined player.

        "I kinda had a little temper when I played my first couple years," he said. "Sometimes taking a penalty put us in a bit of a spot, you know, so I had to learn to be a little smarter. As you get comfortable and you're playing well, I think the game slows down a bit, you can take a breath, and make the right play. So I think it's just a matter of calming down when you've got the puck, seeing the whole ice, and things like that."

        It took Shine six years to top 20 points in a season, but his offensive production increased significantly in the past three seasons, a fact that he attributes to a combination of playing time, quality linemates, and generally becoming a smarter player.

        "I think the main thing is ice time. Watty [Griffins head coach Dan Watson] has given me a chance to play. It's the first year I've ever been on a power play, so that's been helpful. I'm playing with skilled players who have produced in the league. So, it's a combination of all those things and maybe timing, too.

        "You play hockey your whole life, you go through phases, and there are times when you can get better and grow. Over the past couple of years, my 5-on-5 game has been really good and that's where I've gotten a lot of my points. It's just a combination of things, like playing with better players and playing more minutes. It's been good."

        Shine has always taken pride in doing whatever it takes – the essence of a good team player. During the COVID-shortened season, Shine and Spezia played a few games on defense when the team found itself shorthanded due to virus protocols.

        "I had never actually played defense, so it was fun," he recalled. "I told [then-head coach] Ben Simon that I played 'D' before, just so he would put me there. It was different. There's not as much skating and it's hard to make a good play when guys are forechecking you because you don't always see what's coming behind you.

        "Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do to stay in the league. I knew I wanted to stay in Grand Rapids, so I saw it as an opportunity to do something. It's those kinds of things that keep you around. It paid off in the long run."

        Shine is thankful that his wife, Taylor, has been at his side for most of his journey. They met during her freshman year of high school while he was playing for the USHL team in Lincoln, Nebraska.

        She played volleyball at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she earned a degree in mechanical engineering. Today, she is a project manager in new product development at Stryker, where she works on next-generation medical devices in the instruments division.

        "She means everything to me," Shine said. "She works a full-time job and still takes care of our son when I'm on the road. I owe it all to her. She took a chance and moved to Grand Rapids several years ago, so she's always been here for me, and now Cooper as well. It's been amazing to see her become a mom."

        Becoming a father was a life-changing experience for Shine, as it is for most parents.

        "It puts everything into perspective," he said. "Obviously, I care about hockey a lot and I want to do well, but if I have a bad game or something, I go home and he just smiles and doesn't care. He hugs me and it changes everything. I think it's been really helpful to take my mind off things at the rink.

       "Whether the public sees it or not, the season can be tough. As an athlete, your whole world revolves around this sport, and because it's such a short time in your life, it seems so important. Having a child gives you a different perspective. It's been really good for me."

        Cooper is a "really good kid," although he didn't sleep very well for a long time, according to Shine. At 18 months, he is just starting to talk and he's becoming increasingly aware of his surroundings. For a little boy, a hockey locker room visit is like walking into a gathering of superheroes in uniform.

        "He knows it's me and he knows my teammates," Shine said. "He sees them and gets all fired up when he sees the equipment. I think it's just really cool. For him, growing up around it, it's going to be pretty influential in his life."

        Shine thinks about his relationship with his father and the importance sports played in his life growing up.

        "I love sports. That's something my dad and I always had in common," Shine recalled. "We played sports. That's what we did. He'd come home from work and we'd go outside and play football for a couple of hours or throw a baseball.

       "That's something I want to do with Cooper. I think he definitely likes sports. I just don't know which ones he likes. So I'll let him play. I'll let him figure it out. Maybe it won't be sports. Whatever he decides, I want to support him. Let him go."

        Shine plans to teach his son how to rollerblade first and then teach him how to stand up on skates. For now, he is simply enjoying bringing his boy to the locker room.

       "Whether it's coming to the locker room after a game or taking him to breakfast, I feel like there are things that I want to do that he will remember at some point," he said. "He's young now, but as he gets a little older, I hope they are things he'll remember."

        Cooper is motivating Shine to keep playing as long as possible. "It's definitely made me want to play a little longer, just for him to experience some stuff," he said. "I know it's something that I'll probably cherish down the road."

        In the meantime, Shine will find satisfaction in acting as a mentor to his younger teammates.

        "I like the idea of a team, and you're always with these guys – maybe you're good right away, maybe not – but I like figuring it out with a group of guys and getting better. I think that's something you can look back on and be proud of, changing the culture or growing as a team. That's something I enjoy doing. I don't want to move around and try new teams.

       "This is a tough league to play in. It's tough travel. It's hard hockey, and I just try to get better each year. I think this team has something. We're doing well right now and I think we're only going to get better."