Teenager Taya Currie becomes first girl drafted into Ontario Hockey League
Goaltender Taya Currie has made history Saturday becoming the first female ever taken in the Ontario Hockey League’s priority selection draft.
#OHLDraft history! 👏
Congrats to goaltender Taya Currie of @ALLIANCE_Hockey's @EMCChiefs, the first female ever chosen in the Priority Selection, joining @StingHockey at 267th overall: https://t.co/Vn9S9i8MdT pic.twitter.com/fDsmT13vYt
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) June 5, 2021
The 16-year-old native of Parkhill, Ontario was taken by the Sarnia Sting in the 14th round, 276th overall. Currie, standing at 5’7″, 140 lb., has been touted as one of the top goaltenders in the Alliance Hockey league.
There, she’s played for the u16 AAA Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs boys club.
Currie didn’t play in the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re a pretty close team and I wanted to play the most competitive hockey I can,” Currie told The London Free Press. “In bantam, all the girls I played against switched over, but I wanted to try something different.”
In elite minor league divisions, it’s not uncommon for girls to play alongside boys, but typically don’t continue beyond 13 to 14 years of age.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.