Who was the first woman to play in an NHL preseason game?

Manon Rheaume was the first woman to play in an NHL preseason game.

On September 23, 1992, Rheaume appeared in goal for the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning against the St. Louis Blues. She played the first period, stopping seven of nine shots. Her appearance made her the first woman to compete in an NHL game and the first woman to play in one of North America’s major professional men’s sports leagues.

Rheaume’s NHL opportunity followed several earlier breakthroughs. In 1984, she became the first girl allowed to play in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament. In 1991, she became the first woman to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, appearing for the Trois-Rivières Draveurs. She had also represented Canada at the 1990 and 1992 IIHF Women’s World Championships.

A common mix-up is confusing her NHL preseason appearance with a regular-season game. Rheaume never played in an NHL regular-season contest, but she returned for another Lightning preseason game in 1993. She later played professionally in men’s minor leagues and helped Canada win silver at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.