McLlwain was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins 172nd overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft and began his tour of the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1987-88 by playing 66 games. He spent most of the following season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL, but did get into 24 games with the Penguins.
The Penguins dealt him to the Winnipeg Jets for the 1989-90 season, in which he would have his best NHL season, scoring 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points. Limited to 60 games in 1990-91, his production declined to 25 points.
The 1991-92 season began with McLlwain playing three games for the Jets, but was traded on October 11th to the Buffalo Sabres. His stay in Buffalo was brief, as having played just five games, McLlwain was on his way to the New York Islanders as part of the blockbuster deal involving Pierre Turgeon that brought Pat Lafontaine to the Sabres on October 25th.
McLlwain played 54 games for the Islanders, scoring 23 points, but then was dealt yet again to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 10, 1992, where he played the final 11 games of the season and tied the NHL record by suiting up for his forth different NHL club of the season on this date in 1992.
In all, McLlwain played in 73 games that season, scoring 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points, no doubt affected by the constant upheaval and time spent integrating into each club's schemes and learning his ever-shifting linemates.
He was able to call Toronto home for the entirety of the 1992-93 season, but was claimed by the Ottawa Senators in the waiver draft for the following season. He responded with 17 goals and 26 assists for the second highest total of his NHL career of 43 points.
McLlwain was limited to just 43 games in 1994-95 and spent most of 1995-96 with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL, scoring 75 points in 60 games, as well as appearing in 18 games with the Penguins, who acquired McLlwain from Ottawa.
McLlwain while with the Lumberjacks
After splitting time between the Lumberjacks, 75 points in 63 games, and the New York Islanders, where he played in four games, McLlwain's NHL career came to a close. His NHL totals were 501 games played, 100 goals and 107 assists for 207 points.
Even though McLlwain's NHL career was at an end, his playing days were far from over, as he spent the 1997-98 season with the Landshut Cannibals of the German DEL and the following two seasons with SC Bern of the Swiss National League A where he averaged more than a point per game, with 103 in 84 games.
Having played for 21 clubs in 13 seasons, McLlwain finally found stability when he signed with the Cologne Sharks (Kölner Haie) of the DEL, where he played nine seasons, winning a championship in 2002 and leading the team in scoring four times, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 (the latter two leading the entire DEL) and was also named team captain.
McLlwain as captain of the Cologne Sharks
Today's featured jersey is a 2004-05 Kölner Haie (Cologne Sharks) Dave McLlwain jersey. This jersey is very representative of the typical European club team jersey, with all the elements of the basic jersey being dye-sublimated and numerous sponsorship logos, with perhaps a few being sewn on from time to time.
Today's bonus jersey is a 1991-92 Toronto Maple Leafs Dave McLlwain jersey as worn when McLlwain tied the NHL record by playing with the Maple Leafs, his fourth different team in that season.
This jersey features the NHL 75th Anniversary patch as worn on all players jerseys during the 1991-92 season.
Extra Bonus jersey: Here is the jersey presented to Dave McLlwain in the occasion of this 500th game in the DEL.
Today's video section begins with a goal by McLlwain during his rookie season with the Penguins when he knocks a puck out of mid-air past John Vanbiesbrouck of the New York Rangers.
Next, we feature a tribute to McLlwain that recounts his entire career, from the Kitchner Rangers in junior hockey, to the Pittsburgh Penguins representing the NHL portion of his career and then his time with Cologne in the DEL.
Sorry about the Whitney Houston as the choice of music. Germans. What can you say? These are the same people who like David Hasslehoff.
To read more on McLlwain, here is an extensive interview with "the heart, soul and brain" of the Cologne Sharks from their own website.
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