After being selected 51st overall in the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2003 draft by the Edmonton Oilers, McDonald spent four seasons with Providence College.

As a sophomore, McDonald missed time due to injury but still managed to match his point total from freshman year as he tallied up 11 goals and added 5 assists.

As a junior, he served as an alternate captain and reached career highs in points (28) and assists (19), finishing fourth on his team in scoring.

In the 2013 playoffs against his former Penguins team, he played on a line with Michael Grabner and Keith Aucoin, scoring two goals and one assist as the Islanders were defeated in six games.

Early on in the 2014–15 season, on October 22, 2014, McDonald was placed on waivers; upon clearing he was assigned to the Islanders' AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he was named captain.

[4] On July 3, 2015, having left the Islanders as a free agent, McDonald signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

[6] As a free agent from the Phantoms, McDonald opted to return to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, signing a one-year AHL contract with the team on August 29, 2019.