McBain played his minor hockey for the Don Mills Flyers of the
Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). Despite being drafted in the 1st round of the
Ontario Hockey League's Priority Selection by the
Barrie Colts, McBain opted to play junior hockey for the
Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the
Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) to maintain his eligibility in the
NCAA. After winning the
OJHL's Top Prospect Award, McBain was drafted 63rd overall by the
Minnesota Wild in the
2018 NHL entry draft. After the draft, he committed to
Boston College and played with them for four seasons. Following the completion of McBain's senior season with the Eagles and the conclusion of his collegiate career, McBain informed the Wild that he did not intend to sign a contract with the club as he was afraid he was not good enough to crack the roster. Faced with the prospect of losing McBain's rights for nothing, the Wild began exploring trade opportunities for his signing rights. McBain was signed to an entry-level contract by the Coyotes a day after he was traded. McBain made his NHL debut on April 12, 2022 against the
New Jersey Devils. He recorded his first point three games later, an assist on a goal by teammate
Nick Ritchie, in a 9–1 loss to the
Calgary Flames on April 16. On December 29, 2022, McBain recorded his first multi goal and point game, scoring two goals in a 6-3 victory against the
Toronto Maple Leafs. in 2024 At the conclusion of McBain's first professional contract following the
2022–23 season, McBain (a restricted free agent) and the Coyotes reached an impasse on a contract extension. Unable to agree on a contract extension, McBain and the team filed to have an independent arbitrator settle on a new contract; McBain filed seeking a 1 year, $2.25 million contract, while the team filed with an offer of a 2 year deal worth an average annual value of $1.2 million a season. On July 30, 2023, hours before the case was set to be heard by an arbitrator, McBain and the Coyotes agreed to a 2-year, $3.2 million contract worth an average of $1.6 million a season. Shortly after the end of the
2023–24 regular season, the Coyotes' franchise was suspended and team assets were subsequently transferred to the expansion team
Utah Hockey Club; as a result, McBain became a member of the Utah team. On November 18, 2024, McBain had a leg-on-leg collision with
Alexander Ovechkin, breaking Overchkin's left fibula and sidelining him for five weeks, the longest injury of the famously-durable left-winger's 20-year career. On July 7, 2025, McBain signed a 5-year contract to remain with Utah. ==International play==