Born in Belfast, Ireland, McFadden played two years with the PCHL's Portland Buckaroos then spent the 1941-42 season with the Montreal Canadiens of the Quebec Senior League. During World War II, he skated for three years with the Winnipeg Army the rejoined the Quebec league with the Ottawa Senators.

After averaging over a point per game for the AHL's Buffalo Bisons in 1946-47, McFadden joined the Detroit Red Wings for their semi-final playoff loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The next year he scored 24 goals and was presented the Calder trophy as the league's top rookie.

The clever pivot was a consistent performer on the Wings in the late '40s and contributed five points when the team won the Stanley Cup in 1950. During this time, he often formed a solid partnership with Marty Pavelich and Jimmy Peters. Prior to the 1951-52 season, he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1952-53, he combined with linemates Cal Gardner and Gerry Couture to score 23 goals and help the club battle the Montreal Canadiens in a hard fought semifinals series. McFadden played briefly in 1953-54 and played the last three and a half years of his career in the minors with the WHL's Calgary Stampeders before retiring in 1957.

Courtesy of the Hockey Hall of Fame