Les Canadiennes sign F Genevieve Bannon

Les Canadiennes have signed forward Genevieve Bannon prior to Sunday’s CWHL Draft and she will be the team’s first selection in the second round.

Bannon is 23 years old and spent the last year with Göteborg HC in the SDHL, the top division of Swedish women’s hockey.

She had 18 goals and 15 assists in 34 games, good enough for 15th in league scoring. Prior to going to Sweden, she played four years at Clarkson University, winning the National Championship twice.

“I’ve been playing far from home for the past eight years and having the opportunity to play for the hometown team is really exciting,” said Bannon in a press release. “Les Canadiennes are a great organization, with a tradition of excellence. My goal is to be a good teammate, have a strong work ethic and use my skills to the best of my abilities. I hope to contribute to the growth of the organization, and the game.”

Bannon had 49 goals and 101 assists in 160 career NCAA games at Clarkson. She also won a gold medal at the 2013 Women’s Under-18 World Championships with Team Canada.

Bannon is the only player Montreal is eligible to sign in the pre-draft period as CWHL teams can sign their first and second round picks. Montreal’s first-round pick was already traded to the Toronto Furies in last season’s trade for Erin Ambrose.