Shlaine has five goals and four assists through 10 games for his new team, which is based in Marquette on the shores of Lake Superior.
"It's a small town, pretty much all school and hockey here," said Shlaine.
The Wildcats are 5-5 with just two conference games played so far; the conference schedule begins in earnest this weekend with an intrastate trip to play the Lake Superior State Lakers.
"I'm just trying to keep building, keep getting better," he explained, "I'm still the same style of player. I also want to make more good plays (and) show the coaching staff that they were right to give me this opportunity."
Shlaine was drafted by the Devils as the hockey world was gripped by the pandemic. The draft had been delayed five months and Shlaine received the news he had been picked while at his dorm. His two seasons with the Huskies saw him play 59 games, where he scored eight goals and 18 assists.
The book on Shlaine remains the same as it was two years ago: he has excellent hockey sense and vision with good size (6-1, 185); he needs to work on his mobility and all-around game to have a chance to make it as a pro.
Compared to other years, players selected in 2020 and 2021 were subjected to adjustments that NHL clubs were forced to implement, often on the fly. Though he was thankful that he got to play at all two seasons ago - some college/junior leagues scrubbed their schedules completely - college players such as Shlaine got their first up-close time with the big club this summer two years after being selected.
"It was awesome," he said of the summer camp, "I got to meet with all the development staff and learn a lot about the organization."
Shlaine's back story is its own tale. He came to the U.S. with his parents and younger brother and moved to South Florida in time for his sophomore year in high school. A move to Minnesota followed, where Shlaine played two years at the vaunted Shattuck St. Mary's prep program. He was one of six Shattuck players to be picked by NHL teams over a two-year span.
Younger brother Daniel, 17, is now suiting up there for the same prep team his brother played for three seasons ago, and parents Dmitri and Ekatrina (Kate) now live nearby in Faribault, MN.
"Yeah, I know," he agreed when it was pointed out that he now speaks perfect English with just a trace of a Russian accent, "but there are times I slide in different words in English or in Russian…the only time I speak Russian now is on the phone to may parents."
The Wildcats in many ways reflect Shlaine: they are an eclectic bunch with players drawn from all over the U.S. and Canada, with a few international players in addition to Shlaine. He provides the Russian flavor but Northern Michigan also has two Hungarians and a Swede on the roster.
"And we all live together," said Shlaine, of his multi-national household, "they put up the Russian, Hungarian and Swedish flags in the arena, which is nice to be able to look up at."
The next two years are big ones for Shlaine. Players taken in the bottom half of the draft must show that the faith put in them by scouting staff was worth it - there are only so many contracts that can be doled out by NHL clubs.
Shlaine didn't specifically mention earning a contract. Right now, he's concentrating on his time with the Huskies. But he knows what he must do eventually.
"At this point in my college career, I understand what needs to be done…you have (to meet) small goals leading up to the big one and that's to keep playing well individually so the team can have success.
"The (ultimate) success is a conference and national championship."
