Larocque selected second overall during inaugural PWHL draft

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This article was published 25/09/2023 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It didn’t take long for Jocelyne Larocque’s name to be called during the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) draft.

Larocque was taken second overall by Toronto in the league’s first draft. The draft was broadcast live on YouTube by CBC sports.

Ste Anne’s Larocque will join forwards Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull and defender Renata Fast, who were signed as free agents before the draft. Toronto should have an effective defensive pairing with just Fast and Larocque, who play together for Team Canada.

“I feel honoured,” Larocque told the broadcast after being selected.

The now 35-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the new league, with three Olympic medals including a gold in the 2022 games and three IIHF world championships.

“I’m ecstatic,” Larocque told the Winnipeg Free Press.

“So happy, and to be able to be picked by Toronto where I played for the Brampton Thunder, I played for the Markham Thunder — I’m just so excited to be playing here in Toronto.”

Troy Ryan, the head coach of the Toronto franchise knows Larocque well, as he is also the current coach of the national team.

Larocque was selected by general manager Gina Kingsbury, who is also heavily involved with Team Canada.

“To play for Gina, to play for Troy and the players they’ve already signed, I’m so excited,” she said.

Players in the PWHL will make a minimum of $35,000, and an average of at least $55,000, although specific salaries have not been released.

It’s an exciting time for women’s hockey, as the PWHL marks the first time in a long time only one professional women’s league is active. That means all the best players in the world will be facing off against each other on a regular basis.

Larocque wasn’t the only Manitoban selected, as Deloraine’s Ashton Bell was picked in the second round by Ottawa and Brandon’s Kristen Campbell was taken by Toronto in the third round. Montreal made it three-for-three in Canadian franchises picking up Manitobans, selecting Kati Tabin in the fifth round. New York took Elm Creek goaltender Corinne Schroeder in the sixth round.

Nearly 100 players from around the world were drafted at the event, hosted at CBC headquarters in Toronto. The PWHL is made up of six franchises, three in Canada, and three in the United States.

With files from Mike Sawatzky