Career
He played in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Edmonton Oilers. McGill"s playing career ended prematurely as a result of an eye injury. A native of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Ryan joined the Calgary Flames as an assistant coach in June 2009 after four seasons as the head coach for the Flames AHL primary affiliate team in Quad City and Omaha.
In addition, he guided the Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers AHL affiliate) team to the 2003-2004 regular season Eastern Conference title, tying for first place overall with a 44-24-12-2 mark for 102 points.
That year, his team fell short of a trip to the Calder Cup Finals, losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. A second-round draft choice of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1987 National Hockey League Draft, he played a total of 151 career National Hockey League games over a seven-year career with the Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers.
His professional playing career also included the American Hockey League and International Hockey League. McGill was struck in the left eye by a puck, was declared legally blind in that eye and retired at 26.
On July 4, 2012 he was named head coach of the WHL"s Kootenay Ice.
On July 28, 2015 he was named head coach of the OHL"s Owen Sound Attack.