Except for the 1910 season when the Quebec team did not operate due to the failure of the Canadian Hockey Association, McDonald was a member of the Bulldogs until 1912.

He signed with the Vancouver Millionaires for the 1913 season, returning east to play for the new Toronto Ontarios for the 1913–14 season He returned to the Bulldogs in December 1914, and stayed with the club until 1917, when the NHA was suspended, and Quebec suspended operations.

McDonald was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens for whom he played until 1919, including the ill-fated 1919 Stanley Cup Finals which was cancelled after five games (tied at 2-2, with one tied game) because of the Spanish flu pandemic.

The following season, the Quebec franchise was moved to Hamilton and McDonald was traded back to the Canadiens.

He split the 1920–21 season with Montreal and the Toronto St. Pats, loaned there by the NHL in an attempt to make all teams competitive.