[2] He moved up to the Prince Edward Island Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 1994–95 but missed three months of the season after suffering retinal damage to his right eye when he was hit in the face by a stick.
As a result, he signed to play in the International Hockey League (IHL), splitting the season between the Las Vegas Thunder and Detroit Vipers.
[4] His rights ultimately released by the Bruins, McCleary signed with the Montreal Canadiens as a free agent in 1998, appearing in 46 NHL games in 1998–99.
Medical staff worked to partially open his airway in the hallways of Molson Centre, actions which McCleary credits with saving his life.
[6] Unable to speak immediately following his surgery, McCleary sent a written note to his teammates explaining he was all right while his surgeon revealed that he came "as close ... as you could come" to dying in the moments after he was struck.
[5] He met with the media two weeks following his injury, responding to questions via note pad, stating that he hoped to return to his career upon recovery.
He appeared in an exhibition game with the Canadiens, but found he was unable to play a full shift without running short of breath.