He played a total of five games at the NHL level, spending most of two seasons with the Islanders' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Indians.

However, recurring shoulder injuries dating back to his junior hockey days ended McLellan's North American playing career after the 1988–89 season.

In 1994, McLellan was hired as the head coach and general manager of the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, where he succeeded Graham James.

After the IHL folded in 2001, McLellan and his staff were transferred to the Wild's new minor league affiliate, the Houston Aeros of the AHL.

In Detroit, McLellan was tasked with handling the Red Wings' forwards and managing the team's power play, as well as reporting player performance to head coach Babcock.

[2] He would end up the head coach for the Western Conference All-Star team, and lead the Sharks to their first Presidents' Trophy with an NHL-leading 117 points to finish the regular season, and finished third in voting for that season's Jack Adams Award, behind winner Claude Julien and Andy Murray.

[7] However, he would hold the distinction for exactly one day, as McLellan's former colleague Mike Babcock signed an eight-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs worth around $6.25 million per season on May 20.

[13] Before his firing, Los Angeles stumbled after a strong 20–7–4 start to the season, losing 14 of McLellan's final 17 games with a 3–8–6 record.

[14][15] On December 26, 2024, McLellan returned to the Red Wings, with the team hiring him as head coach after the dismissal of Derek Lalonde.