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The Brantford Bulldogs made Ontario Hockey League (OHL) history this week by picking goaltender Sophie Jovanovic in the league’s U18 Priority Selection.
The Toronto goalie was drafted in the second round, 40th overall, on Monday, making her the first female player ever drafted through the OHL’s U18 selection process.
Jovanovic, 17, is just the second female player ever selected in any OHL draft. Goaltender Taya Currie was chosen in 2021 by the Sarnia Sting in the 14th round of the league’s priority draft which focuses, largely, on players under the age of 16.
The U18 Priority Selection was introduced in 2017 as a separate draft for players who were not previously selected in the OHL Priority Selection.
In a post on the Brantford Bulldogs website, the team said Jovanovic is “widely seen as part of the future of the Team Canada program, Jovanovic will get an opportunity to earn her way towards more history in Brantford.”
In the post, Jovanovic said “I am extremely grateful and thankful to the entire Brantford Bulldogs organization for this opportunity. I want to thank everyone who has helped make this happen. I’m excited for what’s next.”
Jovanovic heard the news from former star Laura Fortino
In a post on the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) website, Bulldogs General Manager Spencer Hyman said “we have seen her play all the way up, and we really liked her style. She is one of the best goalies in the age group, and really, the draft. We’re thrilled that we were able to get her.”
In the post, the CHL, the parent league of the OHL, said Jovanovic heard the news in a call from Bulldogs Director of Player Development and assistant coach, Laura Fortino. Fortino, a long-time star with the Canadian national women’s hockey team and a gold-medal winner with Canada in 2014, played on the Italian women’s hockey team at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
In the CHL post, Jovanovic said “my God, it was, I don’t even know how to say it… it was just a very surreal moment. I’m just very grateful for the opportunity to get a call from her.”
The Bulldogs played in Hamilton from 2015 to 2023 before moving to Brantford after the arena in Hamilton began its $300-million renovations. In January 2025, the team’s owners, Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman and his family, announced the Bulldogs would stay in nearby Brantford, Ont.
