A total of 90 players were selected Monday in the first-ever Professional Women’s Hockey League draft, including five Manitoba-born athletes.
After University of Minnesota centre Taylor Heise was selected first overall by the Minnesota franchise, defender Jocelyne Larocque of Ste Anne was taken next by Toronto GM Gina Kingsbury.
The former University of Minnesota-Duluth standout has helped anchor the Canadian national women’s team blueline since 2011 and has suited up for three Olympic Games and 10 world championships since graduating from the NCAA ranks.
Ashton Bell was the next Manitoban selected, eighth overall in Round 2 by Ottawa. The 23-year-old defender from Deloraine just completed the final season of her collegiate career at the U of Minnesota-Duluth after starring for the Westman Wildcats in the Manitoba Female Hockey League.
Bell made her Olympic Games debut for Canada in 2022 and has also represented her country in two world championships since joining the national team program.
Brandon-born goalie Kristen Campbell will remain teammates with Laroque after she was drafted by Toronto in the third round.
The 25-year-old product of the Westman Wildcats and Shaftesbury of the Canadian High School Hockey ranks began her NCAA career at the University of North Dakota before playing her final three seasons at the University of Wisconsin.
Campbell brings the experience of three world championship appearances and the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing to Toronto.
Winnipegger and Balmoral High product Kati Tabin was Montreal’s selection in Round 5, 30th overall.
The 26-year-old blueliner was team captain of Quinnipiac during her final NCAA season in 2019-20 and also played for Connecticut and Toronto in the now-defunct Premier Hockey Federation.
The fifth and final Manitoba-born player to be selected was Elm Creek’s Corinne Schroeder, New York’s pick in Round 6 (33rd overall).
The former Pembina Valley Hawk and Balmoral High product was outstanding between the pipes as the starter for Boston University for three years before finishing up her NCAA career with Quinnipiac in the 2021-22 season.
Schroeder returned to Boston to play for the Pride of the PHF during her rookie pro campaign in 2022-23.
The PWHL’s inaugural season is set to begin in January 2024, with each of the six teams playing 24-game schedules.