Mair was drafted 84th overall by the
Toronto Maple Leafs in the
1997 NHL entry draft. He joined the Maple Leafs for five games in the
1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording a goal and 14 penalty minutes. However, he spent the majority of the
1999–2000 season in the
AHL with the
St. John's Maple Leafs. The Leafs traded Mair at the Trade Deadline in
2001, acquiring defenseman
Aki Berg from the
Los Angeles Kings. Mair split time in the
2001–02 season between the AHL and NHL, and was hurt for a good amount of the season. In a December 20, 2001, game against the
Ottawa Senators, Mair was assessed 47 penalty minutes after he left the Kings bench to join a fight that had broken out between the two teams behind Kings goaltender
Felix Potvin. As the two teams fought, Mair's teammate
Mikko Eloranta squared off with Senator's
enforcer Chris Neil. Seeing that Eloranta was at an obvious disadvantage, Mair left the Kings bench and tackled Neil. The next day it was announced that Mair had received an automatic 10-game suspension for leaving the bench to join a fight. The Kings decided to trade Mair to the Buffalo Sabres on July 24, in exchange for former first round draft pick
Erik Rasmussen. Mair became a popular player, with his effort and his aggression. Mair set a personal high in games played and assists and tied a personal record in goals in
2003–04. His
2005–06 season was plagued by concussions. He missed a total of 31 regular season games due to concussion symptoms after a collision with
Tyson Nash of the
Phoenix Coyotes on January 12, 2006. He missed the remainder of the 2006 regular season, as well as the first two rounds of the playoffs, and did not appear for his first playoff game until game five of the third round versus the
Carolina Hurricanes. Mair was named an alternate captain on February 4, 2008, under the Sabres
2007–08 rotating captains and alternate captains system. On November 9, 2009, the Buffalo Sabres placed Adam Mair on waivers. The 24-hour deadline passed with no team claiming Mair. The Sabres did have the option of sending him to the AHL Portland Pirates, but head coach
Lindy Ruff decided to keep him up with the Sabres instead. On September 17, 2010, Mair was invited by the
New Jersey Devils on a tryout contract for the team, he eventually signed with New Jersey on October 12, 2010. After his final professional season with the
Springfield Falcons of the AHL in
2011–12, Mair announced his retirement and accepted the role of Director of Player Development at
Canisius College on October 22, 2012. == Coaching career ==