Kenneth Duncan McRae (born April 23, 1968) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. McRae is the former head coach of the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League. McRae is also a former right wing who played 137 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Quebec Nordiques and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was drafted by the Nordiques in the first round, 18th overall, in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.
Born in Winchester, Ontario, McRae played his junior hockey with the Sudbury Wolves and Hamilton Steelhawks from 1984âÂÂ88, where he was a highly touted prospect. The Quebec Nordiques drafted McRae in the first round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, and he appeared in his first NHL game with the team in the 1987âÂÂ88 season. McRae played in 126 with the Nordiques before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 21, 1992 for Len Esau.
McRae only played 11 games with Toronto from 1992âÂÂ94, as he spent most of his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the St. John's Maple Leafs and McRae spent the remainder of his career in the AHL and the International Hockey League (IHL). McRae ended his career with 137 NHL games, scoring 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points, and 364 penalty minutes.
Upon his retirement from playing, McRae became an assistant coach with the Austin Ice Bats of the Western Professional Hockey League. McRae then became the head coach of the Indianapolis Ice of the Central Hockey League in 2002, as he led the Ice to the best record in the Northeast Division with a 39âÂÂ16âÂÂ9 record in the 2002âÂÂ03 season before losing in the second round of the playoffs. McRae was named CHL coach of the year for 2002-03. McRae returned to Indianapolis in 2003âÂÂ04, as the team had a 37âÂÂ23âÂÂ4 record, finishing in second in the Northeast, however, the team lost in the first round of the playoffs.
From 2004âÂÂ08, McRae was the head coach of the Corpus Christi Rayz, as he led the team to a 106âÂÂ116âÂÂ28 record in his four years with the team. His best season with the Rayz was in 2006âÂÂ07, as the team had a 35âÂÂ22âÂÂ7 record.
In the summer of 2008, the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League hired McRae to become their new head coach. On March 31, 2010 it was announced that McRae's contract as head coach of the Petes would not be renewed.