From the moment she could walk, Taylor Girard wanted nothing more than to be like her older brother. That meant lacing up a pair of skates and stepping onto the ice as soon as she had the chance to play hockey.
“Ever since I started walking and just being aware that he was playing hockey, my dad would build an ice rink in our backyard,” Girard recalled. “I think the biggest draw to hockey was that I wanted to be my older brother, and we just had so much fun [out on the ice together].”
Growing up in Macomb, Michigan—just north of Detroit—Girard developed her skills close to home, rising through the ranks of the prestigious Honeybaked program from U-14 to U-19 AAA. Her journey then took her to Lindenwood University, where she spent three seasons before transferring to Quinnipiac for her final two years of college hockey. While both schools played a role in her development, her time at Quinnipiac marked a turning point.
“I had a lot of fun at both, met some great people and played great hockey,” Girard said. “But I think that when I transferred to Quinnipiac was really when I grew the most, as a person and as a hockey player. I'm a really shy kid.”
Pushing herself out of her comfort zone was a challenge, but one that ultimately fueled her growth both on and off the ice.
“I had to get myself comfortable with being uncomfortable in the moment,” she explained. “And that was really hard for me, but it’s what helped me grow as a person and as a hockey player.”
That growth paved the way for her to make history. In 2021, Girard was selected first overall by the Connecticut Whale in the PHF Draft, an unforgettable moment that still feels surreal.
“I wasn't really sure what to expect. I talked to the Connecticut Whale a little bit,” she said. “And then when they did call my name first, I felt like I blacked out. But once everything sunk in, I was like, ‘I’m a professional athlete,’ which is so cool and so special.”
The moment became even more meaningful when Girard learned that the young athletes attending her hockey camp had gathered in a rented room to watch the draft unfold.
“Once I closed my laptop and I walked downstairs, everybody was cheering for me and just made it so special,” she said. “It was very cool.”
Family has always been at the heart of Girard’s journey, making last season’s game at Little Caesars Arena—a homecoming of sorts—one of her most cherished memories. As part of the PWHL’s inaugural Takeover Tour, she had the rare opportunity to play in front of loved ones in her home state, as her then-Boston squad took on Ottawa.
“I think my favourite memory [from last year] was getting to play in Detroit,” she said. “I had a lot of family members fly in and ended up with a good group there of people from high school and Honeybaked…it was really special to be able to bring the PWHL there and show all of these athletes in Michigan who don't have any female athletes really because there's no Division I.”
Now, exactly one year later—and after a trade that sent her from Boston to the New York Sirens—Girard is set to return to Detroit, this time in a new uniform and in front of an even bigger crowd.
“I am very excited to be bringing the PWHL back to Detroit again. Growing up here, I really never imagined I would have the opportunity to play professional hockey in front of my family, friends, and the next generation of players,” she said. “It’s truly so incredible to see how much the women’s game has grown, and bringing it to this city with such a deep hockey history is just another step forward.”
For Girard, this game is about more than just competition. It’s about the young players in the stands—the ones who, like her as a child, are lacing up their skates and dreaming of a future in hockey.
“It’s all about showing the little kids in the stands that they can dream big in the sport of hockey.”
Discover Taylor Girard’s inspiring hockey journey and countless other stories from the world of women’s hockey on Rinkside Rundown, a podcast hosted by Chris Sinclair.
Tune in here: https://linktr.ee/rinksiderundownpodcast