Goaltender Taya Currie made history on Saturday by becoming the first female athlete ever chosen in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft.
Goaltender Taya Currie made history on Saturday by becoming the first female athlete ever chosen in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft.
The 16-year-old from Parkhill, Ont., was selected in the 14th round, 267th overall, by the Sarnia Sting.
Currie was touted as one of Alliance Hockey’s top goaltenders as a member of the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs triple-A boys’ under-16 team.
The 2005-born Currie described herself ahead of the draft as athletic, flexible and quick and wants to be “known as the goalie everyone hates to play against and loves to have on the team.”
WATCH | Ron MacLean speaks with 16-year-old goalie Taya Currie after her historic selection:
Ron MacLean spoke with 16-year-old goalie Taya Currie after her historic selection by the Sarnia Sting in the 2021 OHL Draft. 3:58
She didn’t get to play the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manon Rhéaume, the only woman to ever play in the NHL when she suited up in exhibition games for the Tampa Bay Lightning 1992 and 1993, played one game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in the 1991-92 season with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs.
Most recently, fellow goaltender Shannon Szabados dressed for a game with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League in 2003-04.
Both women went on to have successful careers with the Canadian national women’s team and are Olympic medallists.
The Sudbury Wolves used the No. 1 pick to select right winger Quentin Musty from the North Jersey Avalanche U16 team.
The entire draft was held online; the first three rounds were held Friday night, with rounds 4 through 15 took place on Saturday.