"Blew myriad chances to win back No. 1 spot last season. (ESPN Hockey 96, p. 95)

"Vancouver wants to trade goalie Kirk McLean, but his hefty salary will make it difficult. (The Sporting News Hockey 1996-97, p. 79)

"Declining standup netminder with good technique. Quick glove hand. Very inconsistent. Hasn't been the same goalie since his 1996 marital breakup. Is he there mentally? A knee injury also bothered his play. Only Jim Carey and Bill Ranford - let down by Boston's pitiful defensive play - posted worse save percentages than McLean last year." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 230)

"Kirk McLean and Corey Hirsch were simply awful last year. They're both capable of playing better, with Hirsch the favorite to be the starter when the regular season starts." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 51)

"McLean may no longer be able to withstand the rigors of playing 55-60 games. (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 177)

"Canuck netminders must steal more games for the team and stop surrendering soft, deflating, momentum-killing goals. McLean has become too vulnerable to wraparounds and five-hole slappers. (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 177)

"McLean hasn't played with consistency since 1994-95. (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 177)

"A one-time Conn Smythe Trophy candidate, he had a decent season, recording two shutouts in the process. Career highlight was coming within a goal of leading Vancouver to an upset Stanley Cup win over the Rangers in '94. Once traded for his former goaltending partner, Sean Burke (Carolina/Vancouver). McLean is a part of a dying breed - he's an angles goalie. A very smart goaltender that figures the best way to stop the puck is to give the opponent nothing to shoot at. Formerly one of the league's best, McLean is now going to have to settle for a back-up role." (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 220)

"Formerly a No. 1 man between the pipes, this angle-savvy netminder was solid when called upon to act as the backup last season. Only took part in 22 games - a far cry from his usual load - but went about his business admirably and never complained. McLean, who posts a lifetime 3.25 GAA, has bettered that number in each of the last two years. (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 99)

"McLean's career has nearly reached the end of the line. With the New York Rangers the past two seasons, he never adjusted to the role of backup to Mike Richter. The stand-up goaltender could still be an effective NHLer but must learn to accept a backup role. McLean was once a franchise goalie with Vancouver, but that was almost a decade ago." (The Sports Forecaster 2001-02, p. 226)

• Selected by New Jersey Devils as underage junior in sixth round (sixth Devils pick, 107th overall) of National Hockey League entry draft, June 9, 1984.
• Traded by Devils (with C Greg Adams) to Vancouver Canucks for C Patrik Sundstrom and fourth-round pick in 1988 draft (LW Matt Ruchty), September 10, 1987.
• Traded by Canucks (with LW Martin Gelinas) to Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for LW Geoff Sanderson, D Enrico Ciccone, and G Sean Burke, January 3, 1998.
• Traded by Hurricanes to Florida Panthers in exchange for RW Ray Sheppard, March 24, 1998.
• Signed as free agent (two years, $1.9 million) with New York Rangers, July 13, 1999.

• Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1990.
• Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1992.
• Named to The Sporting News All-Star second team, 1991-92.
• Named to National Hockey League All-Star second team, 1991-92.
• Rated #4 in Hockey Stars Presents "The Top 50 Netminders in Pro Hockey", November 1993.
• Named seventh-best goaltender, The Sporting News 1994-95 Hockey Yearbook.
• Named third-best glove hand, The Sporting News 1994-95 Hockey Yearbook.
• Rated #5 in Hockey Stars Presents "The Top 50 Netminders in Pro Hockey", November 1994.
• Winner, Molson Cup (awarded to Vancouver player with the most Molson Three-Stars Selection), 1994-95.
• Rated #10 in Hockey Stars Presents "The Top 50 Netminders in Pro Hockey", November 1995.

• On October 29, 1991, Kirk set a National Hockey League record with nine victories in the month of October. Felix Potvin and Dominic Roussel later tied Kirk's record before Manny Legace broke the mark on October 27, 2005 with his tenth win of October.
• On May 22, 1994, Kirk became the ninth goaltender in National Hockey League history to record four shutouts in one postseason, with a 4-0 victory (29 saves) at the Pacific Coliseum over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canucks took a 3-games-to-1 lead over Toronto in the Western Conference Finals, eventually advancing to the Stanley Cup, where they would fall to the New York Rangers in seven games.
• Shares (with Ed Belfour) National Hockey League single-season playoff record for most minutes played by a goaltender (1544), 1994.

• Suffered tendinitis in left wrist, February 25, 1991.
• Injured knee; missed eighteen games, January 13, 1996.
• Injured knee; missed nineteen games, November 11, 1996.
• Injured finger; missed nine games, March 5, 1997.
• Aggravated back muscle, January 8, 1998. McLean was supposed to start for Carolina at Philadelphia, but injured himself tying his skates in the dressing room. "I bent down, and I heard a pop. I went out to skate in warmups to see if I could play, but I had trouble breathing. I hope it's not serious."
• Bruised ribs; missed three games, February 14, 1999.
• Suffered from the flu; missed one game, February 26, 2000.
• Suffered back spasms; missed two games, October 26, 2000.