Kirk McLean
Stand-up goaltender who led Canucks to 1994 Stanley Cup Final.
Kirk McLean spent more than a decade between the pipes for the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the face of the franchise during their run to Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. A stand-up goaltender, he was a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist (1989 and 1992), a two-time NHL All-Star, and earned Second All-Star Team honours. Born in North York, Ontario, on June 26, 1966, he grew up dreaming of playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and idolized Bernie Parent. He played minor hockey for the Don Mills Flyers in the Metro Toronto Hockey League, posting a 2.01 goals-against average over 26 games in 1982–83, and also appeared in the 1979 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
McLean played major junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League before being drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round, 107th overall, in 1984. He debuted with the Devils in 1985–86, appearing in two games after a call-up from Oshawa. After training camp in 1987, he was sent to the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, alongside Craig Billington. He was recalled on December 19, 1986, arriving three hours before a game against the Washington Capitals, and earned a win in relief after the starter allowed three goals in the first 81 seconds. He appeared in four games before being reassigned, then suffered a right knee injury in the AHL that required arthroscopic surgery. He finished the season in Maine with a 15–23–4 record and 3.22 GAA in 45 games. That summer, he injured his left knee and underwent a second arthroscopic surgery.
On September 15, 1987, McLean was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Greg Adams and a second-round pick for Patrik Sundström and two draft picks. The deal was the first major move for new Canucks general manager Pat Quinn and new Devils GM Lou Lamoriello. McLean became a key part of Vancouver’s rebuild, joining future cornerstones Trevor Linden and Pavel Bure. Fans nicknamed him “Captain Kirk,” after the Star Trek character. He made 14 saves in his Canucks debut, an 8–2 win over the St. Louis Blues on October 8, 1987, and recorded his first NHL shutout on February 17, 1988, a 27-save 5–0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Born
- June 26, 1966
- Birthplace
- North York, Ontario
- Nhl draft
- 1984, sixth round, 107th overall by New Jersey Devils
- Position
- Goaltender
- Style
- Stand-up goaltender
- Vezina trophy nominations
- 1989 and 1992
- Nhl all-star games
- 2
Lore & Background
McLean played major junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and was drafted in the sixth round, 107th overall by the Devils in 1984. He debuted with the Devils in 1985–86, appearing in two games after being called up from Oshawa. He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1987 along with Greg Adams and a second round choice for Patrik Sundström and draft picks. McLean became known to fans as 'Captain Kirk', in reference to the Star Trek protagonist. He recorded his first NHL career shutout on February 17, 1988, making 27 saves in a 5–0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 1991–92, he set an NHL record for wins in October with nine and led the league with five shutouts and 38 wins, earning Second All-Star team honours. He backstopped the Canucks to the seventh game of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final against the Rangers.
Reader's Guide
McLean spent the final three seasons of his career with the Hurricanes, Panthers and Rangers, retiring in 2001. Since retiring, he has been a goaltending coach for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), worked in broadcasting with the Canucks' pay-per-view telecasts and became a part-owner of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)'s Burnaby Express (now Coquitlam Express). He was involved in the restaurant business in Vancouver. He now works for the Vancouver Canucks as the Ambassador and is a boardmember of the Canuck Alumni Foundation. His legacy is defined by his tenure with the Canucks, where he set franchise records for wins in a season (38, later surpassed) and became the winningest playoff goaltender in team history. His 1992 season included a historic shutout against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum, the first in Canucks franchise history, earning a standing ovation from Canadiens fans.
Did You Know?
- McLean is of Scottish and smaller Irish descent; his mask had his family's Scottish tartan on it.
- He played in the 1979 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with Don Mills.
- He recorded the Canucks' first shutout against the Montreal Canadiens in franchise history on December 4, 1991.
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