The next generation of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League was welcomed into the league Sunday at the 2017 CWHL Draft, with 17 alumnae of the National Women’s Under-18 Championship among the 113 players selected.

Kristyn Capizzano led the way for U18 alums, going to the Toronto Furies with the No. 2 pick. Capizzano – who captained Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team to gold at the 2013 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship – won gold with Ontario Red in 2011 before taking bronze the following year.

She was the first of four alumni taken in Round 1, followed by 2014 Olympic gold medallist Mélodie Daoust (No. 4 to the Canadiennes de Montréal), Taryn Baumgardt (No. 5 to the Calgary Inferno) and Cayley Mercer (No. 7 to the Vanke Rays).

In total, five U18 nationals gold medallists were selected – Capizzano, Mercer and Elaine Chuli won the national title with Ontario Red in 2011, Brooke Webster helped Ontario Blue to its first gold in 2012, and Lauren Kelly was a 2009 titlist with Ontario Red.

Only one of the draftees took home an individual award – Mercer was named most sportsmanlike player at the 2011 national championship in Saguenay, Que.

Vanke, one of two new Chinese teams joining the CWHL for 2017-18, led the way with seven alumnae picks, followed by Calgary (five), Boston (two), and Kunlun, Montreal and Toronto (one each).

National Women’s Under-18 Championship alumnae selected in the 2017 CWHL Draft included:

1st Round
2. Toronto – Kristyn Capizzano (Ontario Red, 2011/2012)
4. Montreal – Mélodie Daoust (Quebec, 2007/2008/2009)
5. Calgary – Taryn Baumgardt (Alberta, 2011/2012)
7. Vanke – Cayley Mercer (Ontario Red, 2011)

2nd Round
8. Boston – Robyn Chemago (Alberta, 2011/2012)
12. Calgary – Kelly Murray (Alberta, 2011)
14. Vanke – Elaine Chuli (Ontario Red, 2011)

3rd Round
19. Calgary – Sophie Shirley (Saskatchewan, 2015/2016)
21. Vanke – Brooke Webster (Ontario Blue, 2012)

4th Round
28. Vanke – Hanna Bunton (Ontario Blue, 2011/Ontario Red, 2012)

6th Round
42. Vanke – Ashleigh Brykaliuk (Manitoba, 2011/2012)

7th Round
49. Vanke – Emma Woods (Ontario Blue, 2011/Ontario Red, 2012)

8th Round
54. Calgary – Anissa Gamble (Atlantic, 2009)
55. Kunlun – Melanie Jue (British Columbia, J2005/N2005)

9th Round
61. Calgary – Kennedy Brown (Alberta, 2016)

11th Round
77. Vanke – Lauren Kelly (Ontario Blue, 2008/Ontario Red, 2009)

23rd Round
113. Boston – Carolyn Campbell (Ontario Blue, J2005/N2005)