In the AHL, playing for the Red Wings affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, MacLean recorded a point in 19 straight games between January 6 and February 18, 2006. This was the longest point streak for any AHL player in the 2005–06 season. The same year, MacLean scored five hat-tricks, the most by an AHL player since 2000. He participated in the 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic with fellow Griffins Jiri Hudler and Valtteri Filppula, scoring two goals for the Canadian team. He also won the Hardest Shot event in the Skills Competition. MacLean finished the season as the league MVP and leading goal-scorer.