Center Craig MacDonald entered the 2001-02 season hoping to make a strong impression at the Carolina Hurricanes' training camp. A fine playmaker with an abrasive side to his play, he had already demonstrated proficiency in college, internationally and in the minors.
Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, MacDonald attended Lawrence Prep High School before accepting a scholarship to Harvard University. He was selected 88th overall by the Hartford Whalers in 1996 after a strong freshman year. He played solidly as a sophomore then joined the Canadian National team for the 1997-98 season.
During his first pro season in 1998-99, MacDonald registered 48 points in 62 games for New Haven of the AHL before he was recalled to the NHL. He saw spot duty in the last 11 regular season games and one playoff contest but the Hurricanes wanted to give him sufficient time to develop in the minors. MacDonald was solid contributor to the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the AHL in 1999-00 then recorded his first 20-goal season as a pro for the club in 2000-01.
Over the course of the next two seasons, MacDonald split his time between Carolina and Lowell of the AHL before joining the Florida Panthers organization in 2003-04. Upon his arrival with the Panthers, the former Harvard grad spent most of his time with the parent club while seeing limited action with the team's AHL affiliate in San Antonio before being claimed off of waivers by the Boston Bruins during the 2003-04 season.
After spending the entire 2004-05 season with the AHL's Lowell Lock Monsters, MacDonald was acquired by the Calgary Flames in the summer of 2005. MacDonald split the 2005-06 season with the Flames' AHL affiliate in Omaha before signing as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks.
With the Blackhawk organization, MacDonald would spend the majority of his time with the club's AHL affiliate in Norfolk while seeing action in 25 games with his parent club. After only a single season with the Hawks, MacDonald found himself on the move once again after he signed as a free agent in the summer of 2007 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
MacDonald saw action in 65 games on a struggling Tampa Bay club in 2007-08. His productive season included a wrist shot to his face in which nine of MacDonald's teeth were knocked out and he required 2530 stitches to close a cut in his tongue and another 50 to sew together wounds to the inside of his lip and gums. He missed only one game as a result of the injury.
In the summer of 2008, MacDonald's stint in Tampa came to an end when signed a 1-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
