A Cape Breton community is celebrating one of their own as he laces up for his dream job.

Just like many Maritime hockey players, Logan Shaw has always had visions of playing in the National Hockey League.

The Glace Bay native played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, four of which were with his hometown team, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

His next stop was the American Hockey League, and then, in October, he got the call to suit up for the Florida Panthers.

“He's been wanting to do this since he was a baby, since he was out on the rink at three years old,” says Shaw’s father Gerard. “He's given up every summer since then to do that and to see him live his dream has probably been the most fun.”

Shaw has now played in 13 games with the Panthers and has racked up three goals and an assist.

While he seems to be settling in well to life in the Sunshine State, Shaw hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

“He's pretty proud of where he comes from, so he wants to make sure everybody recognizes that,” says Gerard.

“It's just a hard-working town. Everyone there worked for where they're at. No one's really handed anything coming from there,” says Shaw. “It's special to be from there and be where I am right now and have all the support I do from everyone back home.”

When Shaw got called up this fall, a couple of his buddies from back home made sure to be there for his first game.

“Shawsie gave us a text and said 'hey guys, I got called up to Florida, I think I might be playing Friday,'” says Shaw’s friend Mitch O’Neil. “So I called him an hour later and said 'we got tickets, we're on our way.’”

Shaw's minor hockey coach says it's his work ethic that has him playing with the world's best.

“He's the first player I ever coached that made it that far,” says Greg O’Neil, minor hockey coach. “The whole community is really involved and behind Logan. He's been the talk of the community now for the past two weeks.”

While Shaw could be sent back to the minors at any time, the Cape Bretoner is doing his best to score a contract.

“He's earning himself a spot right now. Where it goes from here, like I said, it's a business, but he'll empty the tank,” says Gerard.

When Shaw notched his first big-league goal, he became the first player from Glace Bay to score in the NHL in a quarter-century; the last one being Dougie Sulliman with the Philadelphia Flyers back in the 1989-1990 season.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald