TORONTO — Taya Currie became the first female player ever chosen in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft Saturday.
The 16-year-old goaltender from Parkhill, Ontario, was selected in the 14th round, 267th overall, by the Sarnia Sting.
The 5-foot-7 Currie last played for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs Triple-A boys’ under-16 team. She didn’t play this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
#OHLDraft Introductions:
Historic @StingHockey selection Taya Currie shares her excitement with @sarahjeanmaher after being selected with the 267th pick, reflecting on hard work paying off after seven years with @ALLIANCE_Hockey‘s @EMCChiefs ?
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) June 6, 2021
Manon Rheaume — the only women to play in the NHL when she suited up in exhibition games for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992 and ’93 — played one game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in the 1991-92 season with the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs. Most recently, Shannon Szabados dressed for a game with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League in 2003-04.
The Sudbury Wolves used the No. 1 pick to select Quentin Musty from the North Jersey Avalanche U16 team.