Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Mushure mekusarudzwa 51st yakazara muNational Hockey League's (NHL) 2003 draft
neEdmonton Oilers, McDonald akapedza mwaka mina neProvidence College. Munguva yake freshman gore (2003<unk>04), McDonald akatungamirira Providence Friar freshmen pamwe 10 zvinangwa. Kuita kwake kwakamupa mubairo weProvidence we "Most Valuable Freshman" pamwe nekusarudzwa kuHockey East All-Rookie Team. Semudzidzi wegore rechipiri, McDonald akarasikirwa nenguva nekuda kwekukuvara asi achiri kukwanisa kuenzana nemapoinzi ake kubva pagore rake rekutanga sezvo akaverenga zvibodzwa gumi nerimwe uye akawedzera 5 kubatsira. Paaive mudiki, akashanda semumwe kaputeni uye akasvika pabasa repamusoro mumapoinzi (28) uye anobatsira (19), achipedza wechina pachikwata chake mukuwana zvibodzwa. Akazotumidzwa zita rekuti co-kaputeni wemwaka wa2006-07 pakupera kwegore. Mugore rake rekupedzisira aive nebasa rakakwirira rezvinangwa gumi nematatu, pamwe chete ne4 inobatsira, inosvika 17 mapoinzi.