The inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) draft is in the books, and Canadian hockey was the star of the show.

In total,

more than half of their players selected in Toronto – 48 out of 90 (53.3%) – are from the Great White North.

The list includes representatives from eight members and 43 players who have worn the maple leaf in international competition at some level (or all levels) of the national women’s program – nine Olympic gold medalists, 13 gold medalists. gold at the Women’s Worlds and nine gold medalists at the U18 Women’s Worlds. among them medalists.

(Ten other Canadians – all Olympic gold medalists – were among the players who signed deals early in the free agent signing period and were not part of the draft pool. That contingent included Team Canada’s captain Marie-Philip Poulin, 2022 Olympic player. MVP Brianne Jenner and outstanding goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens, among others.)

The Canadiens’ run began with the number 1.2 pick, where Toronto selected veteran defender Jocelyne Larocque. She was the first of the first three rounds, alongside her compatriots Ella Shelton (No. 4 in New York) and Erin Ambrose (No. 6 in Montreal).

The first 🇨🇦 are out of the picture in the #PWHLDraft2023! Here are the first 🇨🇦 players selected in the 2023 LPHF draft! 🍁Jocelyne Larocque (2-TOR)🍁 @ella_shelton11 (4-NY) 🍁 @ambrose_13 (6-MTL) pic.twitter.com/dFm0NUV2Q6

– Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) September 18, 2023

Each of the 15 rounds featured at least two Canadians, with a maximum of five in the second round. Toronto selected a Canadian with 13 of its 15 picks, followed by New York (11), Montreal (nine), Boston (seven), Ottawa (six) and Minnesota (two).

With the

The National Women’s Under-18 Championship is expected to return to the ice in November for the first time since 2019, his alumni were all over the draft; 42 players represented their province or region at the tournament.

DRAFT CANADIAN PLAYERS – BY MEMBER

Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (28) – Lexie Adzija, Erin Ambrose, Victoria Bach, Jaime Bourbonnais, Zoe Boyd, Emma Buckles, Michela Cava, Mellissa Channell, Elaine Chuli, Claire Dalton, Kristin Della Rovere, Jessica DiGirolamo, Jessie Eldridge, Loren Gabel, Brittany Howard, Sophie Jaques, Rebecca Leslie, Amanda Leveille, Emma Maltais, Kennedy Marchment, Kristin O’Neill, Jamie Lee Rattray, Ella Shelton, Natalie Spooner, Alexa Vasko, Kayla Vespa, Daryl Watts, Emma Woods

Hockey Quebec (7) – Ann-Sophie Bettez, Gabrielle David, Jade Downie-Landry, Élizabeth Giguère, Alexandra Labelle, Maude Poulin-Labelle, Audrey-Anne Veillette

Hockey Manitoba (5) – Ashton Bell, Kristen Campbell, Jocelyne Larocque, Corinne Schroeder, Kati Tabin

BC Hockey (2) – Olivia Knowles, Hannah Miller

Hockey Nova Scotia (2) – Allie Munroe, Jill Saulnier

Hockey Saskatchewan (2) – Brooke Hobson, Sophie Shirley

Hockey Alberta (1) – Jess Healey

DRAFT CANADIAN PLAYERS – BY INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Women’s National Team (19) – Erin Ambrose, Victoria Bach, Ashton Bell, Ann-Sophie Bettez, Jaime Bourbonnais, Kristen Campbell, Jessie Eldridge, Loren Gabel, Élizabeth Giguère, Brittany Howard, Jocelyne Larocque, Rebecca Leslie, Emma Maltais, Kristin O ‘Neill, Jamie Lee Rattray, Jill Saulnier, Ella Shelton, Sophie Shirley, Natalie Spooner

National Women’s Development Team (41) – Lexie Adzija, Erin Ambrose, Victoria Bach, Ashton Bell, Ann-Sophie Bettez, Jaime Bourbonnais, Zoe Boyd, Emma Buckles, Kristen Campbell, Elaine Chuli, Maggie Connors, Claire Dalton, Gabrielle David, Kristin Della Rovere, Jade Downie-Landry, Jessica DiGirolamo, Jessie Eldridge, Loren Gabel, Jess Healey, Brooke Hobson, Brittany Howard, Sophie Jaques, Olivia Knowles, Alexandra Labelle, Jocelyne Larocque, Rebecca Leslie, Amanda Leveille, Emma Maltais, Hannah Miller , Allie Munroe, Kristin O’Neill, Jamie Lee Rattray, Jill Saulnier, Corinne Schroeder, Ella Shelton, Sophie Shirley, Natalie Spooner, Kati Tabin, Alexa Vasko, Audrey-Anne Veillette, Daryl Watts

National Women’s Under-18 Team (31) – Lexie Adzija, Erin Ambrose, Victoria Bach, Ashton Bell, Jaime Bourbonnais, Zoe Boyd, Emma Buckles, Kristen Campbell, Mellissa Channell, Elaine Chuli, Maggie Connors, Claire Dalton, Gabrielle David , Élizabeth Giguère, Jess Healey, Brooke Hobson, Sophie Jaques, Olivia Knowles, Alexandra Labelle, Rebecca Leslie, Emma Maltais, Hannah Miller, Kristin O’Neill, Jamie Lee Rattray, Jill Saulnier, Corinne Schroeder, Sophie Shirley, Natalie Spooner, Alexa Vasko, Audrey-Anne Veillette, Daryl Watts