A Priority Selection

At no point does anyone ever think they'll be the first to do something or to accomplish something, and today saw the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs do something that they had never done before, but it did happen once before. The player pictured to the left is 17 year-old netminder Sophie Jovanovic who played with the Toronto Nationals U18 AAA program in the GTHL this season, and, yes, she is a girl. She's not the first woman to be drafted by an OHL team - Sarnia did that with current MacEwan Griffins netminder Taya Currie - but she did become the first and highest-selected woman in the OHL U18 Priority Draft when Brantford selected her with their 40th-overall pick! Clearly, the Bulldogs see talent in Jovanovic with this pick, and, based on her play in the GTHL, I think she has a better-than-good shot at being the first woman to suit up and start a regular season game in the OHL!

If you go looking for Jovanovic's numbers from this season, you likely won't find them anywhere unless you're a scout for a major junior team. The GTHL made the shrewd decision to stop posting statistics from all age groups on their website so that players, parents, and team staff wouldn't have access to every player's numbers. Frankly, I'm all for this decision because, as some may know, hockey parents can be overwhelming regarding their child's statistics, so kudos for the GTHL for drawing a line in the sand for the good of everyone.

What you should know is that Jovanovic has already committed to playing between the pipes for the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA, and we know what kind of players they recruit and produce. If they were asking Sophie to commit to them, she's likely better than a number of male goalies already because the Badgers simply win.

When she was playing with the Marlboros U16 team, Sophie was featured on Sportsnet during Hockey Day in Canada. I posted the video on the January 19, 2025 edition of The Rundown as Sophie's story seemed like the introduction to a woman who is going to have a long and storied hockey career. Her brother, Matthew, was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit in 2020, so seeing her go to the Bulldogs in 2026 is pretty cool! Of course, this is just another chapter in her story!

While she will graduate from high school in 2027 and likely look to join Wisconsin at that time, the option of having the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs should allow Sophie an opportunity to, at the very least, practice with the team. Perhaps she can get into a preseason OHL game just like Ève Gascon did with the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques in 2021 before heading off to the University of Minnesota-Duluth where she continues to impress with her goaltending talents. Either way, having options is always good for a young goalie like Jovanovic so she can test herself against players at various levels of hockey!

I'll bang this drum again, but Sophie Jovanovic is a goaltender that Hockey Canada should have an eye on as she continues along her path. She's a competitor, she loves playing and competing, and she has a bright future. I'm not saying she'll be an Olympic lock or anything, but her trajectory is certainly on the right path if she wants to reach those heights. She'll be noticed playing with Wisconsin, her education will certainly pay dividends down the road, and there likely will be PWHL offers once she finishes adding to her education.

Sophie Jovanovic looks like she's going to be a game-changer for the Wisconsin Badgers, she could be a future Team Canada stopper, and she may see time with the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs. What can't be argued is that she was good enough to be noticed by the Bulldogs and by the Badgers, and she'll have a chance to skate with one, if not two, incredible programs if and when she chooses. Sophie Jovanovic is a player who you'll likely want to keep an eye on in the future!

Congratulations go out to Sophie Jovanovic on being drafted by the Brantford Bulldogs - another significant step in her career!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!