Great Britain's Casey Traill becomes first player from the UK to be drafted to National Women's Hockey League

The 22-year-old was taken in the fifth round, 25th overall on Tuesday night by the Buffalo Beauts, and will now have the opportunity to continue her career in the equivalent to the men's National Hockey League (NHL).

Traill had spent the last four years in North America, playing close to 100 matches for Castleton University in the NCAA, and has 18 senior caps for Great Britain Women.

"Having the opportunity to be drafted to any team in the NWHL is an absolute honour," Traill said, who graduated from Castleton this summer.

"It has definitely been a long journey for me, but I could not be more proud to represent British hockey on such a big platform.

"I am extremely grateful to Buffalo for taking a chance on me and hope that I can deliver for them both on and off the ice in the future."

South Shields-born Traill spent the early part of her playing career with Newcastle, Whitley, Billingham and Kingston, before moving overseas to the Ontario Hockey Academy in 2015.