Kammala wannan jumla: Gabatarwa zuwa kakar 1987/88, an yi musayar McLean, tare da Greg Adams da zagaye na biyu (Leif Rohlin) a cikin
1988 NHL Entry Draft, zuwa Vancouver Canucks don cibiyar Patrik Sundström da Canucks na biyu- (Jeff Christian) da kuma zagaye na huɗu na zagaye (Matt Ruchty) a 1988, a ranar 15 ga Satumba, 1987. Kasuwancin ya kasance farkon manyan ma'amaloli da sabbin mukaman Vancouver Canucks da New Jersey Devils manajan Janar Pat Quinn da Lou Lamoriello, bi da bi. Samun McLean wani bangare ne na tsarin sake gina Vancouver, wanda Quinn ya jagoranta. A cikin shekaru biyu masu zuwa, an haɗa McLean a cikin ƙungiyar Canucks ta ƙarin ƙididdigar ƙididdiga Trevor Linden da Pavel Bure. Ya zama sananne ga magoya baya a matsayin "Captain Kirk", dangane da jarumin Star Trek.