Less than a year after finishing his collegiate career at the University of Michigan, Dylan Duke scored in his debut at Detroit
Dylan Duke’s NHL debut has been anticipated for years.
Despite all the imagination, dreams and anticipation, Duke’s first NHL game on Saturday exceeded every hope he’s ever had for his first career game with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Duke became the 10th player in Lightning history to score in their NHL debut, extending the visitors’ lead in the third period of what ended as a 6-3 victory for Tampa Bay.
“Definitely beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed of or could think of, to be honest. It was a surreal day,” Duke said. “A lot of fun. But at the same time I think I could build off that, and (I’ve) got some things to work on and things to think about tonight and just build on it going forward.”
Tampa Bay held a narrow 4-3 lead to open the third period and was fresh off a second period in which Detroit outshot the Lightning 19 to 5.
In the opening minutes of the third, Duke dug a loose puck out from a wall battle with a Detroit player and fed the puck to Victor Hedman at the point. He passed the puck to defenseman Nick Perbix atop the offensive zone, whose shot hit the stick of forward Mitchell Chaffee in front.
Duke sprinted for the loose puck in the slot, slapping the rebound into the open cage for a 5-3 lead and his first career goal.
“I think I got it up to the point and then both D made a great play, got it down low, Chaffs (Chaffee) made another nice play and it was laying right there. I was fortunate to be in the right spot at the right time and just hammer it home. Then emotions kind of just took over from there.”
Duke made his NHL grand entrance on Saturday after being recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, late Friday night. Duke has played in 36 games for Syracuse this season, scoring 13 goals and 22 points.
The 21-year-old forward is in his first full season of pro hockey.
He signed his three-year entry level contract with the Lightning last April after completing his junior season with the University of Michigan. Duke was the team’s fourth-round draft pick—126th overall—at the 2021 NHL Draft.
On Saturday, Duke found himself primed for the first NHL game of his career at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, not 50 minutes from the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, where Duke played for the previous three seasons while attending the university.
When he took the ice for warmups, Duke admitted he flashed a smile toward some family and friends near the glass. Duke’s younger brother, Tyler Duke, played on the same ice sheet hours later for the University of Michigan against No. 2 Michigan State in the annual 'Duel in the D' game that’s played at the home of the Detroit Red Wings.
Duke’s family already had tickets for the college game, and suddenly there was a rush for more tickets. His former teammates on the Michigan Wolverines and his family got to see his first NHL goal in person, not far from the place that helped develop an NHL player.
“It was such a whirlwind of emotions coming back here and getting to play in my first NHL game,” Duke said. “Obviously you think about it a lot, but to have it here just made it a little bit more special.”
Only nine players in franchise history had scored in their NHL debut prior to Duke. Duke became the first Lightning player to achieve the feat since Ross Colton scored in his first game on Feb. 24, 2021. Current Bolts Anthony Cirelli (Nov. 25, 2013) and Anthony Cirelli (March 1, 2018) also scored a goal in their first game.
Another former Wolverine, 35-year-old forward Luke Glendening, was quick to find Duke for a celebratory hug on Saturday. The television broadcast was brisk to scope his family and friends, who also didn’t hide their excitement and pride for the newest addition to the Lightning goal scorers’ club.
They weren’t the only ones who shared that excitement.
“It’s amazing. He played his first game, he got his first goal in front of his family,” Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak said. “It’s an exciting moment for him and we were really happy for him and for his family. He played well, so we were glad he could be here with us, and hopefully he’s gonna stick around for longer.”
The Lightning have one more game before the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off break on Sunday in Montreal, and Duke could make his second NHL appearance in that contest.
Regardless of what comes next for Duke in his hockey career, the start is one worth remembering, according to Lightning coach Jon Cooper.
“I learned a lot about him in training camp, and he’s definitely a kid that everybody’s pulling for. He’s full of life. There’s positive energy that just surrounds that kid everywhere he goes. I think everyone in the organization was hoping to see this kid play a game for the Lightning one day,” Cooper said.
“It just turns out it was the perfect storm of it’s where he went to college and his whole family is here, his brother’s playing in the building tonight three hours, four hours after our game. That’s a pretty cool experience, and that’s one that family will never forget.”
