Dominik Shine had accepted this day might not be in the cards. There was a point last season, after the birth of his first child, that Shine had even thought about hanging up his skates — thinking about the demanding travel schedule of the American Hockey League and how much he would be away from his family.

No team is immune to the injury bug, including the Detroit Red Wings. It's rare for a team to go through an entire season without missing at least one player for an extended period of time. Thursday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers is the first of a four-game West Coast road trip.

With Patrick Kane landing on injured reserve, the Wings needed a forward for Monday night’s game. Shine’s trip to Perani’s would have to wait.

Dominik Shine said he never thought this day would come. There was a point last season, his eighth in the American Hockey League, when he considered retiring from pro hockey. He was away from his family too much.

The journey to the NHL is different for every player. Some make their debut shortly after being drafted, while others have to bide their time and wait until the moment presents itself. Detroit Red Wings forward Dominik Shine is making his NHL debut on Monday at home against the Los Angeles Kings,