First overall draft pick from the 2015 draft, Alex Carpenter, will sign a one-year, $19,000 contract with the Boston Pride, the team announced Sunday.
Carpenter’s deal is the second biggest contract for a rookie to come this season, trailing only Amanda Kessel’s league-high $26,000 deal.
Carpenter is the 2015 Patty Kazmaier Award winner who spent her collegiate career playing for Boston College where she put up an impressive 134 goals and 145 assists in 150 career contests.
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“There are few pure goal scorers in hockey, and Alex is one of those players who just knows how to find the back of the net,” said general manager Hayley Moore. “Her Boston roots will make her a fan favorite, and she’s still getting better every day. I look forward to seeing Alex continue to grow and ‘wow’ our fans.”
Carpenter is also a U.S. National Team player who has skated in three U-18 World Championships, two Four Nations Cups, and three World Championships, most recently grabbing gold in a thrilling overtime game against Canada in Kamloops, British Columbia. She also won a silver medal with the National Team at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
The rights to Carpenter were acquired from the Riveters, who drafted her second overall in 2015, in exchange for the rights to 15th overall draft pick Miye D’Oench. This was reportedly at Carpenter’s request, allowing the Riveters to get something back for a player who was unlikely to sign. The Riveters were able to sign D’Oench.
Carpenter’s Boston roots, and having played college in town made the Pride the most likely landing spot. If they didn’t trade for her rights they would have had a cap penalty for signing a Riveters draft pick.
Carpenter, like all National Team players, has not officially signed her deal. The National Team players negotiate collectively and have come to terms, but have not actually put ink on paper. Their signings are expected to come soon. The league announced the future signings on Sunday to meet a self-imposed free agency deadline.