Chloe Primerano Becomes First Woman Skater Drafted by CHL

The defender was chosen 267th overall by the Vancouver Giants.

15-year-old Chloe Primerano made history on Thursday night by becoming the first female skater drafted in the Canadian Hockey League.

The defender was chosen in the 13th round, 267th overall, by the Vancouver Giants in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.

With the 268th-overall selection in the 2022 #WHLDraft, the @WHLGiants select Chloe Primerano of @BWCAcademy.

Congratulations to Chloe, the first woman skater chosen in any @CHLHockey selection draft! pic.twitter.com/HdFZrlIWRA

— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 19, 2022

Primerano was chosen by her hometown team, as she’s from North Vancouver. She had 17 assists and 19 points in 30 games with the Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 Program last season. 

“I was driving home from school with my mom in the car and I was just praying for it and it just happened and I was in shock, honestly,” Primerano said, via the Vancouver Giants website.

Giants general manager Barclay Parneta said it was Primerano’s performance last season that made the team interested in drafting her.

“Chloe’s play this season in the top U15 league in Canada made her fully deserving of this selection today,” Parneta said. “The Vancouver Giants are happy to recognize her strong play by drafting her to the Western Hockey League.”

A few women have appeared in Canadian hockey leagues since 2002, when Shannon Szabados became the first woman to play in a WHL regular season game. Three women have appeared in Quebec Major Junior League games. In 2021, Taya Currie was drafted to the OHL as a goalie.

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