Chloe Primerano has made Canadian Hockey League history.
Taken in the 13th round, 267th overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Primerano, a defenceman, became the first female skater to ever be taken in the CHL Prospects Draft.
"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," she said in an interview with vancouvergiants.com.
The 15-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., put up 17 assists and 19 points in 30 games last season playing for the Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 Program.
"Chloe’s play this season in the top U15 league in Canada made her fully deserving of this selection today," said Giants GM Barclay Parneta in a statement. “The Vancouver Giants are happy to recognize her strong play by drafting her to the Western Hockey League.”
Primerano describes herself as a multi-faceted player.
"I would say I'm a two-way defenceman," she said. "I can go up in the rush and go in the offensive zone, but when it comes time to play shutdown I can do that as well."
As she told Sportsnet's panel of hockey experts that included Ron MacLean, Elliotte Friedman, Kevin Bieksa and Justin Bourne Thursday, she models her game after her favourite player, Oilers blueliner Duncan Keith.
Primerano joins exclusive company of women playing in the CHL.
In 2002, Shannon Szabados made history when she became the first female to appear in a WHL regular-season game, taking to the ice on Sept. 22, 2002, for the Tri-City Americans.
Three women have appeared in games in the Quebec Major Junior League. In March 2022, goaltender Eve Gascon started a game for the Gatineau Olympiques. Between 1999-2001, goaltender Charline Labonte appeared in 28 games for Acadie-Bathurst, and Manon Rheaume suited up for Trois-Rivières during the 1991-92 campaign.
Lastly, in the OHL, goalie Taya Currie became the first female drafted to that league when she was selected by the Sarnia Sting in the 14th round (267th overall) in 2021.
Primerano joins a Giants team that finished eighth in the Western Conference this season, upsetting the No. 1 seed Everett Silvertips in the first round of the playoffs before bowing out in the second round to the Kamloops Blazers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2022.
The Canadian Press
