Every athlete’s journey is its own unique tale, a blend of grit, timing, and patience. Age? Oh, that’s just a number that doesn’t define the dream. Some stars immediately become prominent right after the draft while some—like Dominik Shine—play the waiting game knowing that the time will come when they’ll get their chance to shine (pun fully intended).

On January 27th, the Detroit Red Wings officially inked Shine to a two-year contract, locking him in for the rest of this season and through the 2025-26 campaign. Now, what makes this story pop is Shine’s dedication—four years grinding it out at Northern Michigan University, followed by nine seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate. Now, 13 years later, Dominik Shine steps into the spotlight as the second NHL star to shatter the age barrier with his recent debut.

The NHL’s official account lit up X on January 27, dropping the kind of news that makes you stop mid-scroll. They posted a video from the Detroit Red Wings’ clash against the Los Angeles Kings, spotlighting none other than Dominik Shine. With hometown pride shining through, they shared, “31-year-old Dominik Shine is making his NHL debut tonight for his hometown team, the @DetroitRedWings!” Talk about a dream finally unfolding on home ice!

And guess what? The Detroit Red Wings were able to completely overpower the Los Angeles Kings in a 5-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena! Now, let’s talk about Dominik Shine; this 31-year-old has been all over the ice, playing 40 games with the Griffins in the 2024-25 season. He has been establishing himself, topping in assists (21) and points (32) and standing tall in goals (11), shots (89) and penalty minutes (36).

Shine also has four power-play goals and even scored a shorthanded goal. This guy has been grinding it out since Grand Rapids drafted him in 2017. For the Griffins, he played 462 AHL games and collected 170 points and 513 penalty minutes. But here’s a fun fact: Dominik Shine is not the oldest player who has entered the league at such an age!

If not Dominik Shine, then who?

You heard that right—Dominik Shine isn’t the first to defy age when it comes to making an NHL debut! Turns out, the record still remains with Jack Walker who started in the 1926-27 season at the age of 38 with the Detroit Cougars. Walker’s story is one of those legendary tales that mixes skill, timing, and a bit of luck. He’s even got a wild Stanley Cup resume winning it thrice with three different teams in three different leagues. This guy was not merely a witness of history, but a maker of it.

Now, let’s break it down—Walker was the first guy to win the Cup with a team based in the United States when the Seattle Metropolitans won it in 1917. But before that, he was all about making history in 1914 with the Toronto Blueshirts, and later in 1925 with the Victoria Cougars, the last team to capture the Cup before the NHL assumed full control. But wait, there’s more! He did not only win those, but he also went pro early and his inter-league journey became quite a career. That was a guy who knew how to put up points and lead teams to victory.

What’s crazy is that Walker didn’t just leave a mark on the ice; he changed the game, too. Familiar with the hook check? That clever little move that involves using the stick to take the puck away from the opponent? Walker was the mind behind it. And even after his retirement in 1931, Walker continued to popularize that move among players on the West Coast. So whether it’s Walker’s historic career or Shine’s long-awaited debut, both these guys prove that age is just a number in the world of hockey.