Alexandra Carpenter

American ice hockey player (born 1994)

Ice hockey player
Alexandra Carpenter
Carpenter playing for Team USA in 2017
Born (1994-04-13) April 13, 1994 (age 29)
North Reading, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 154 lb (70 kg; 11 st 0 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
PWHL team PWHL New York
Played for
National team  United States
Playing career 2011–present

Alexandra "Alex" Carpenter (born April 13, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey player, alternate captain of PWHL New York of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), and member of the United States women's national team. She was the first player drafted into the National Women's Hockey League in 2015. She won a silver medal with the United States at the 2014, and 2022 Winter Olympics, won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2015, and was named ZhHL MVP in 2020.[1]

Playing career

While in middle school, she played for a male hockey team in Bethlehem, New York. In the fall of 2007, she joined The Governor's Academy in South Byfield, Massachusetts, where she played for their varsity team as a 13-year-old. Over three years, she scored a total of 155 goals and 136 assists for 291 points.[2]

NCAA

On July 22, 2010, she committed to joining the Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey program in the fall of 2012.[3]

Alex recorded her 100th career point against UConn Feb 17 of her sophomore season with Boston College (BC).[4]

During her junior season (2014–15) at Boston College, Carpenter was the recipient of the 2015 Patty Kazmaier Award.[1] She was the first player in the history of the Boston College Eagles program, and the first player from the Hockey East conference to claim the award.

Professional

Carpenter was the first player drafted in the National Women's Hockey League's (NWHL) inaugural draft in 2015, selected by the New York Riveters.[5] She returned for her senior season with Boston College and her rights were traded to the Boston Pride in April 2016.[6] During the summer of 2016, Carpenter signed with the Boston Pride for a one-year, $19,500 contract, making her the highest paid player of the 2015 NWHL Draft class.[7] Playing for Team Steadman, Carpenter recorded a goal and an assist at the 2nd NWHL All-Star Game.[8] She finished the 2016–17 season as the second highest scorer in the league.[9]

Following her season in the NWHL, Carpenter registered for the 2017 Draft of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) and was drafted by one of the two Chinese expansion teams, Kunlun Red Star WIH based in Shenzhen.[9] During the 2017–18 KHL season, her father, Bobby Carpenter, was a coach for HC Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), the men's club that owned the Kunlun Red Star WIH. After being cut from the United States Olympic team, she signed with Kunlun Red Star on January 15, 2018.[10] The following season, the two Chinese CWHL teams were merged to become the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays, and Carpenter re-signed with the team.

After the 2018–19 CWHL season, the CWHL ceased operations, and the team joined the Women's Hockey League (ZhHL). Carpenter again chose to remain in China, citing the better facilities and player support provided by the team than what she had experienced in the NWHL, supporting the boycott of North American leagues that had led to the formation of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA).[11] She served as team captain for the 2020–21 season.

On September 8, 2023, PWHL New York announced that they had signed Carpenter to a 3 year deal, with an undisclosed salary.[12] On December 21, 2023, Carpenter and teammate Ella Shelton were named the first alternate captains in team history.[13]

International play

Carpenter playing for Team USA in 2017

Carpenter competed for Team USA under-18 in an Under-18 three-game exhibition series against Canada's best in Calgary, Alberta. She helped the US team win the 2009 Czech Challenge Cup in Prague.[14] She scored a goal for Team USA in the gold medal game of the 2010 IIHF World Women's Under 18 Championship but the team ultimately fell to Canada and had to settle for the silver medal.[15] She was the youngest girl for Team USA in the tournament at fifteen-years-old. She finished the tournament with eight goals and one assist in five games. She was tied for second in team scoring behind Kendall Coyne.[2]

In 2013, she made the women's senior team and participated in the 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship and remained on Team USA for every following season, including the 2014 Olympics. Carpenter scored the game-winning overtime goal to lead the United States to a 1–0 win over Canada at the 2016 Women's World Championship. She was one of the final cuts from the 2018 Olympic team,[16] but was brought back for the 2019 World Championship.[11]

On January 2, 2022, Carpenter was named to Team USA's roster to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.[17]

Personal life

Carpenter is the daughter of former NHL player Bobby Carpenter.[2]

Alex Carpenter was the first girl to play in the Morristown, New Jersey, Little League in 25 years (performing as a pitcher, catcher, and shortstop) and was the first girl to play as a 10-year-old.[18]

Carpenter is an out member of the LGBTQ community.[19][20] She became engaged to girlfriend Steph Klein, an assistant equipment manager with the Toronto Marlies, in January 2022.[21]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 Boston College HE 35 21 18 39 8
2012–13 Boston College HE 37 32 38 70 10
2014–15 Boston College HE 37 37 44 81 13
2015–16 Boston College HE 41 43 45 88 6
2016–17 Boston Pride NWHL 17 9 20 29 0 2 3 3 6 0
2017–18 Kunlun Red Star CWHL 13 5 7 12 0 4 1 0 1 0
2018–19 Shenzhen KRS CWHL 28 17 14 31 0
2019–20 Shenzhen KRS ZhHL 27 21 32 53 6 5 3 4 7 0
2020–21 Shenzhen KRS ZhHL 28 29 26 55 6 2 1 0 1 0
2022–23 Team Scotiabank PWHPA 20 6 5 11 2
ZhHL totals 55 50 58 108 12 7 4 4 8 0

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2010 United States U18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 5 8 1 9 0
2011 United States U18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 6 4 10 0
2012 United States U18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 5 4 5 9 2
2013 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 1 2 3 0
2014 United States OG 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 5 4 1 5 2
2015 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 2 1 3 0
2016 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 1 2 3 0
2017 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 1 0 1 2
2019 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 2 5 7 0
2021 United States WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 5 0 5 0
2022 United States OG 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 4 3 7 0
2022 United States WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 2 7 9 0
2023 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 2 7 9 2
Junior totals 15 18 10 28 2
Senior totals 60 24 28 61 6

Awards and honors

Award Year Ref
NCAA
Patty Kazmaier Award 2015 [7]
CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-Americans, First Team 2015 [22]
Hockey East First Team All-Star 2015 [23]
International
World U18 Championship – Best Forward 2011, 2012 [24][25]

References

  1. ^ a b "Alex Carpenter Wins 2015 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award". The USA Hockey Foundation. March 21, 2015. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Pierce, Jessi (September 2010). "Alex Carpenter: Young Carpenter Is Building Quite a Career". USA Hockey Magazine. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  3. ^ Kipouras, Bill (July 22, 2010). "It's Boston College! Peabody's Alex Carpenter makes her decision". Peabody/Lynnfield Weekly News. Archived from the original on July 28, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Souris, Pete (March 8, 2013). "BC's Alex Carpenter Named Athletic Republic Player of the Year". Hockey East. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  5. ^ "Alex Carpenter Becomes 1st NWHL Draft Pick". Double G Sports. June 23, 2015. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  6. ^ Vaughan, Nathan (April 29, 2016). "What the Alex Carpenter deal means for the Pride". Stanley Cup of Chowder. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Prospects to Pros: Signing the 2015 NWHL Draft Picks". National Women's Hockey League. August 12, 2016. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  8. ^ Rao, Nicole (February 13, 2017). "NWHL Stars Shine Bright in Pittsburgh". National Women's Hockey League. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Bevis, Hannah (August 2, 2017). "Alex Carpenter registers for the CWHL Draft". The Ice Garden. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  10. ^ "Kunlun Adds 2017 Draft Pick, Alex Carpenter". Canadian Women's Hockey League (Press release). January 15, 2018. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  11. ^ a b "USA Hockey snub leads Alex Carpenter on Chinese adventure". Associated Press. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  12. ^ "Alex Carpenter, Abby Roque, Micah Zandee-Hart Sign Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Contracts With New York". PWHL News (Press release). September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  13. ^ @PWHL_NewYork (December 21, 2023). "Meet the first-ever Captains of PWHL New York! 🫡 We are proud to announce defender Micah Zandee-Hart as our Captain and forward Alex Carpenter and defender Ella Shelton as our Alternate Captains!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Kipouras, Bill (September 3, 2009). "Carpenter shines in international hockey competition". The Salem News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  15. ^ "Game Summary". Hockey Canada. April 3, 2010. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  16. ^ Murphy, Mike (January 10, 2018). "Winter Olympics 2018: USA inexplicably goes for gold without snubbed Alex Carpenter". Sporting News. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  17. ^ "U.S. women with 13 returnees". IIHF. January 2, 2022. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  18. ^ "It's Governor's for prospect Alex Carpenter". The Daily News of Newburyport. May 4, 2007. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  19. ^ "At least 36 out LGBTQ athletes in Beijing Winter Olympics". Outsports. February 7, 2022. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  20. ^ Lim, Solby (February 17, 2022). "Every Medaling Women's Ice Hockey Team At The Olympics Has Out LGBTQ Representation". GLAAD. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  21. ^ Buzinski, Jim (February 3, 2022). "Out athlete Alex Carpenter's 2 goals spark U.S. women in win". Outsports. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  22. ^ "Four Gophers Earn All-American Status". gophersports.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  23. ^ "Hockey East Honors All-Star Selections at 2015 Championship Banquet". Hockey East. March 6, 2015. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  24. ^ "IIHF World Womens U18 Championship – Best Players Selected by the Directorate" (PDF). IIHF. January 8, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  25. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). IIHF. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
  • Alexandra Carpenter at PHF
  • Alexandra Carpenter at Olympics.com
  • Alexandra Carpenter at Team USA (archived) Edit this at Wikidata
  • Alex Carpenter at USA Hockey
  • Alexandra Carpenter at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived) Edit this at Wikidata
  • Alexandra Carpenter on Twitter Edit this at Wikidata
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Patty Kazmaier Award
2015–16
Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey
All-time record
480-355-80
Playing venues
Head coaches
Conference affiliations
Retired numbers
  • Molly Schaus #30
All-time leaders
Olympians
NCAA Tournament appearances
Seasons
  • v
  • t
  • e
Patty Kazmaier Award