Hockey

Alex Carpenter Becomes 1st Ever NWHL Draft Pick

Carpenter is the daughter of former Devils, Rangers, center Bobby Carpenter.

by
Chip Gianni
June 23, 2015

Alex Carpenter (Melissa Wade – uscho.com)

Alex Carpenter, of Boston College, became the very first selection in the Inaugural National Women’s Hockey League Draft.

Carpenter, the daughter of former New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins center Bobby Carpenter, was the 2015 winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award given to the top female college hockey player in the United States. In her three seasons at Boston College she has scored 91 goals and 100 assists for 191 points.

With the Team USA U-18 Woman’s National Team she won a gold medal in 2009 in the Czech Challenge Cup in Prague, in the 2010 IIHF U-18 Women’s Championship she scored a goal in the Gold Medal Game even though Team USA settled for the Silver. Of note she was the youngest member of the team, at 15 years old finishing the tournament tied for second in team scoring with eight goals.

In 2007, she played for The Governor’s Academy Prep School in South Beyfield, MA racking up 155 goals and 136 in three seasons. Carpenter was also the first girl to play in the Morristown, NJ Little League in 25 years, playing pitcher, catcher and shortstop.

The NWHL slated to begin their inaugural season in the fall, with teams located in Boston, Buffalo, Connecticut and New York, held their first player draft on Saturday June 20 with the New York Riveters selecting Carpenter as the very first selection. Carpenter Tweeted that it was an unbelievable honor becoming the first draft pick in the NWHL and being selected by the Riveters.

Players that had completed their junior years in college were eligible to be selected in the draft, which was held in Boston at Harvard University’s bright-Landry Hockey Center. Each of the 20 players selected on Saturday can sign with the club that selected them after completing their senior season. If the team that drafted the player is unable to sign her, she can opt for free agency and sign with one of the other three teams.

In addition to the Riveters, the other teams include the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts and Connecticut Whale. The league is slated to drop the puck for the first time in October. The rosters will be finalized after the Free Agency period begins on August 17.

The Pride will play their home games at the Allied Veterans Memorial Rink in Everitt, MA. The Beauts home games will be played at the HarborCenter across the street from the First Niagara Center in Buffalo. The Whale will play in Stamford, CT at Chelsea Piers. The Riveters will call Brooklyn home playing their games at Aviator Sports and Events Center.

The full list of the 20 players selected in the Inaugural NWHL Draft: (courtesy NHL.com)