Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: McIlrath aive nemusasa wekudzidzira wakashata muna 2016 uye akapedza chikamu chekutanga chemwaka wa2016 / 17 semudziviriri wekuchengetedza, achingoita chimiro chimwe chete nechikwata asati aiswa pakuregererwa musi waGumiguru 27. Akagoverwazve kutamba mitambo mina muAHL neWolf Pack asati atengeswa neRangers kuenda kuFlorida Panthers mukutsinhana naD Steven Kampfer uye sarudzo yechinomwe yekutenderera musi waNovember 8, 2016. Mushure memitambo mishanu nePanthers, uye kushanda muAHL nemubatanidzwa, iyo Springfield Thunderbirds, Mcllrath akatengeswa kechipiri mukati memwaka nePanthers kuenda kuDetroit Red Wings pamwe chete nekusarudzwa kwechitatu-kutenderera mukutamba mu
2017 NHL Entry Draft mukutsinhana naThomas Vanek musi waMarch 1, 2017. Akagoverwa kuAHL yakabatana neRed Wings, Grand Rapids Griffins. McIlrath akarekodha mana anobatsira mumitambo 21 yeGriffins panguva yemwaka wenguva dzose. Munguva ye2017 Calder Cup playoffs, akarekodha mashanu anobatsira, uye timu-yakanakisa plus-10 chiyero mumitambo 19 yemutambo, uye akabatsira kutungamira maGriffins kuCalder Cup.