As we continue our "records, milestones, and awards" week at The Canuck Way and Fansided NHL, we will turn our attention from the skaters to the crease. While the Sedin twins made their mark in the 2000s and 2010s, it was netminder Kirk McLean who had a lasting impact with the Vancouver Canucks from 1987-88 to 1997-98.
After 11 seasons with the Canucks, McLean's impact is still being felt within the lore of the franchise. From his play on the ice to the ambassador role he now has with the franchise, McLean will forever be on the Mount Rushmore of Canucks goalies.
McLean's lasting impact with Canucks
McLean's first season with the Canucks was during the 1987-88 season after playing two years with the New Jersey Devils, who drafted him 107th overall in 1984. In his first four seasons with the Canucks, he had one winning season (1988-89), when he finished third in Vezina voting.
It wouldn't be until 1991-92 that McLean really showed why the Canucks acquired him a few seasons earlier. His record that season was 38-17-9 in 65 games played (63 started). McLean finished with a .901 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.74 goals-against average (GAA), five shutouts, and five assists. His 38 wins led the NHL that season, earning him a fourth-place vote in the Hart Memorial Trophy and second place for the Vezina. He lost to Patrick Roy's 36-22-8 record with a 2.36 GAA and .914 SV%.
What was really impressive was during the 1994 Stanley Cup run, when McLean had four shutouts, a 2.29 GAA, and a .928 SV% in 24 games. He was one of the main reasons that led the Canucks to the final and pushed the series to seven games.
During his 11 seasons in Vancouver, McLean had a 211-228-62 record in 516 games played (498 starts). He also had a .887 SV%, a 3.28 GAA, 20 shutouts, and 21 points. While the GAA and SV% don't jump off the page, with McLean being the longest-tenured Canucks goalie, especially on mediocre teams, those numbers will be down to what's expected for what he did.
When it comes to records, McLean leads all Canucks goalies in seasons (11), games played (516), games started (498), saves (12,791), minutes (29,943), assists and points (21). Unfortunately, he does lead in losses (228), goals against (1,637), and shots against (14,428). In terms of wins and shutouts, he is only second to Roberto Lugongo's 252 and 38.
While there are some records not to have, McLean does hold a ton of good ones. That's the yin and yang to being the only goalie to play in Vancouver for 10 or more seasons. The next closest is Thatcher Demko's nine seasons in the blue and green.
Post-career, he has taken on an ambassador role with the Canucks, and it seems he is enjoying the next chapter of his life within hockey. On the 82nd episode of Canucks Insider Podcast, he joined former The Canuck Way writer Chris Faber to discuss his love for the team, the city, and connecting with the community.
When asked about being an ambassador and what it means to represent the team in the community, McLean stated, “I’m proud of the Canuck logo, and I bleed the colours, I always have. “The community has always been great to me, and travelling the province to really remote places and spreading the word, and the Vancouver organization and what we do not just for the community of Vancouver or the greater Vancouver area, but the province of BC and even up to the Yukon.”
It's not lost on him that, even being from Toronto, he knows Vancouver is where he became who he is now. He spent 11 seasons with the Canucks and has considered himself a Vancouverite ever since. “I’m lucky, I always will be a Vancouverite, Vancouver hockey player, and I consider myself a Vancouverite because I was 20 years old when I got here in ‘87 [and I] never looked back."
When it's all said and done, McLean will forever be loved as a Canuck player, a true ambassador to the team and the city of Vancouver. No matter if it's records to have or wish were different, McLean is on the Canucks goalie Mount Rushmore and will be a player fans will tell stories about until the end of time.
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