Alexandra Carpenter

Alexandra Carpenter
Carpenter playing for Team USA in 2017
Born	April 13, 1994 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	KRS Vanke Rays Boston Pride
National team	United States
Playing career	2011–present
Medal record Olympic Games 2014 Sochi Team 2022 Beijing Team World Championships 2013 Canada 2015 Sweden 2016 Canada 2017 United States 2019 Finland 2023 Canada 2021 Canada 2022 Denmark World U18 Championships 2011 Sweden 2010 United States 2012 Czech Republic

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

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					15	18	10	28	2
Senior totals					60	24	28	61	6

Awards and honors