Alexandra Carpenter

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.
== 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.
===NCAA===
On July 22, 2010, she committed to joining the Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey program in the fall of 2012.
Alex recorded her 100th career point against UConn Feb 17 of her sophomore season with Boston College (BC).
During her junior season (2014–15) at Boston College, Carpenter was the recipient of the 2015 Patty Kazmaier Award. 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. She returned for her senior season with Boston College and her rights were traded to the Boston Pride in April 2016. 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. Playing for Team Steadman, Carpenter recorded a goal and an assist at the 2nd NWHL All-Star Game. She finished the 2016–17 season as the second highest scorer in the league.
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. 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. 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). She served as team captain for the 2020–21 season.
On September 8th, 2023, PWHL New York announced that they had signed Carpenter to a 3 year deal, with an undisclosed salary. On December 21, 2023, Carpenter and teammate Ella Shelton were named the first alternate captains in team history.
==International play==
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. 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. 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.
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, but was brought back for the 2019 World Championship.
On January 2, 2022, Carpenter was named to Team USA's roster to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
==Personal life==
Carpenter is the daughter of former NHL player Bobby Carpenter.
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.
Carpenter is an out member of the LGBTQ community. She became engaged to girlfriend Steph Klein, an assistant equipment manager with the Toronto Marlies, in January 2022.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	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	ZhHL totals 	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 	 		5 	8 	1 	9 	0
2011 	United States	U18 	 		5 	6 	4 	10 	0
2012 	United States	U18 	 		5 	4 	5 	9 	2
2013 	United States	WC 	 		5 	1 	2 	3 	0
2014 	United States	OG 	 		5 	4 	1 	5 	2
2015 	United States	WC 	 		5 	2 	1 	3 	0
2016 	United States	WC 	 		5 	1 	2 	3 	0
2017 	United States	WC 	 		5 	1 	0 	1 	2
2019 	United States	WC 	 		7 	2 	5 	7 	0
2021 	United States	WC 	 		7 	5 	0 	5 	0
2022 	United States	OG 	 		7 	4 	3 	7 	0
2022 	United States	WC 	 		7 	2 	7 	9 	0
2023 	United States	WC 	 		7 	2 	7 	9 	2
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		15	18	10	28 	2
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		60	24	28	61 	6
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honors==
Award 	Year 	Ref
NCAA 	NCAA 	NCAA
Patty Kazmaier Award 	2015 	
CCM Hockey Women's Division I All-Americans, First Team	2015 	
Hockey East First Team All-Star 	2015 	
International 	International	International
World U18 Championship – Best Forward 	2011, 2012 	
==References==
==External links==
*
*
*Alex Carpenter at USA Hockey
*
Category:1994 births
Category:American women's ice hockey forwards
Category:Patty Kazmaier Award winners
Category:Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays players
Category:Boston Pride players
Category:Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey players
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in ice hockey
Category:Ice hockey players from Massachusetts
Category:LGBT ice hockey players