OHL Goalie Taya Currie Makes History: Could She Make The NHL?

Over the weekend, the Ontario Hockey League held its annual draft that saw many of the top players from Canada and other parts of the world drafted into one of the top major junior hockey leagues in the world.

What Happened: With the 267th overall pick in the 14th round, the Sarnia sting selected 16-year-old goalie Taya Currie.

The pick will be remembered in history as Currie became the first female ever taken in the OHL draft.

For the past seven years, Currie has played on the AAA boys hockey team Elgin-Middlesex and was considered a strong contender to be drafted into the OHL.

“I can be a role model for so many young girls to follow your dreams and just do all you can,” Currie said.

Currie now faces the decision to join the OHL and try to be the first female to play in the league, which could mean waiting a season as 16-year-old goalies are less common in the OHL.

Currie could also choose to join her older sister Tristan and play on a girls’ AA team which could put her on a path to play NCAA college hockey.

The Sting felt confident Currie can play in the league and about drafting the first female to be taken in the OHL Draft. 

“This is a girl that’s been seven years playing AAA with the boys. A starting goaltender on arguably the best team in the Alliance (Hockey League). This is a legit goaltender,” Sting General Manager Dylan Seca said.

Along with Currie, five other players from the Elgin-Middlesex U16 teams were taken in the OHL Draft.

Related Link: 2021 NHL Draft Lottery: How Past Buffalo Sabres Draft Picks Have Fared And What's Next 

Why It’s Important: Currie models her game after Shannon Szabados, a two-time gold medal winner with Canada and the first female to play in the Western Hockey League (2002-2003).

Currie has also long admired Manon Rheaume, the first and only female to play in the NHL. Rheaume played in several preseason games in 1992 and 1993 as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Rheaume didn’t find success in the NHL but went on to help the Canadian Women’s Hockey team to a silver medal in the 1998 Olympics and two gold medals at the 1992 and 1994 IIHF Women’s World Championships.

Playing OHL hockey is a strong path to the National Hockey League. In the 2020 NHL Draft, 31 players from the OHL were drafted including five of the top 10 overall picks and two goalies selected. The 31 players drafted represented 14% of all 217 players selected in the 2020 NHL Draft.

(Image by soerli from Pixabay)