Could we see another young woman in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (LHJMQ) soon? The Cape Breton Eagles invited goalie Rhyah Stewart to training camp on Thursday.
The 17-year-old player will attend Nova Scotia’s training camp beginning August 18 along with around thirty other hockey players.
“To be clear first, she’s being invited to camp because she deserves it,” general manager Sylvain Couturier said in a press release. She is fast and convincing with every throw. You don’t get an offer from the University of Wisconsin and an invitation from Hockey Canada for nothing if you’re reasonably good. She is something special.”
The Antigonish native has actually agreed to join the Wisconsin Badgers’ women’s program in 2024-25. She became the first woman to play for the Cape Breton West Islanders under-18 team last season. She now has a 7-11-0 record, a 3.67 goals against average and an .899 save percentage.
Stewart also led Nova Scotia to silver at the Canada Winter Games in March.
In 2022, Quebecer Ève Gascon became the third woman, the first in 20 years, to play in the QMJHL. Following in the footsteps of Manon Rheaume and Charline Labonté, she won a game with the Gatineau Olympiques.