Welcome to the Hockey News Player Series, featuring the Vancouver Canucks site. Previously, we explored the coaching career of Kevin Dean, who won both the Stanley Cup and Calder Cup with teams like the New Jersey Devils, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, and Chicago Blackhawks. Now, we turn our attention to Brett McLean’s playing career with the Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, and Florida Panthers.
Although Brett McLean never played at the NHL level for the Dallas Stars, they originally drafted him in the ninth round, 242nd overall, in 1997. Hailing from Comox, British Columbia, McLean spent five seasons in the WHL with the Kelowna/Tacoma Rockets before moving to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Between 1999 and 2002, he played for a variety of teams across different leagues, including the St. John Flames (AHL), Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL), Cleveland Lumberjacks (IHL), and Houston Aeros (AHL).
McLean made his NHL debut on December 10, 2002, playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. He also contributed in the following 4-3 victory against the New York Rangers, but those were his only two NHL games that season. Most of his time was spent with the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL, where he tallied 23 goals and 38 assists in 77 games.
In the 2003-04 season, McLean earned a more stable spot with the Blackhawks, appearing in 76 games while only briefly playing with the Admirals. This season marked the start of what became a steady NHL career, despite the 2004-05 lockout. He scored his first NHL goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 16, 2003, and finished the season with 11 goals and 20 assists.
During the NHL lockout of 2004-05, McLean played in Sweden for the Malmö Redhawks of the Elitserien, scoring seven goals and six assists over 38 games, along with accumulating 102 penalty minutes. In the Kvalserien SHL qualification tournament, he also contributed with goals and assists over nine games.
Following the lockout, McLean spent two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche. He played a full 82-game season with nine goals and 31 assists and appeared in eight playoff games, recording one assist. Over his two seasons with Colorado, he accumulated 15 goals and 20 assists in 78 games. Notably, he missed playing alongside the current Canucks head coach Adam Hooey during his NHL tenure.
McLean joined the Florida Panthers from 2007 to 2008. His first season marked his most offensively productive NHL year, with 14 goals and 23 assists in 67 games. The following season, he scored seven goals and 12 assists across 80 games, which turned out to be the last NHL season in his career.
Afterward, McLean returned to Europe and wrapped up his playing career, except for a brief 36-game stint with the Rockford IceHogs in 2011-12, where he scored seven goals and 14 assists. He primarily played in Switzerland with SC Bern (2009–2011) and HC Lugano (2011–2015), and also spent time in Austria with Black Wings Linz (2015–2017). Additionally, he represented Team Canada five times at the Spengler Cup, winning the tournament in 2012.
For more updates, analysis, and interviews, bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and join discussions with fellow hockey enthusiasts in the forums.
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Fan Take: Brett McLean’s journey from minor leagues to a solid NHL career and his successful transition to European hockey highlights the diverse paths hockey players take to achieve longevity in the sport. His story is a reminder of the perseverance and adaptability needed in professional hockey, inspiring fans and aspiring players alike.
