Lee Stecklein
{{short description|American ice hockey player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| caption = Stecklein with PWHL Minnesota in 2024
| image = Lee Stecklein 2024.jpg
| image_size =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|4|23}}
| birth_place = Roseville, Minnesota, U.S.
| position = Defense
| shoots = Left
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 170
| league = PWHL
| team = Minnesota Frost
| former_teams = Minnesota Whitecaps
| ntl_team = USA
| sex = f
| career_start = 2012
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalOlympic}}
{{MedalGold|2018 Pyeongchang|Team}}
{{MedalSilver|2014 Sochi|Team}}
{{MedalSilver|2022 Beijing|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championship}}
{{MedalGold|2013 Canada|}}
{{MedalGold|2015 Sweden|}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Canada|}}
{{MedalGold|2017 United States|}}
{{MedalGold|2019 Finland|}}
{{MedalGold|2023 Canada|}}
{{MedalGold|2025 Czechia|}}
{{MedalSilver|2021 Canada|}}
{{MedalSilver|2022 Denmark|}}
}}
Lee Ethel Stecklein (born April 23, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a former member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. Stecklein first represented the United States at the 2011 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship, and went on to play at the Winter Olympics in 2014, 2018 and 2022. She played college ice hockey at Minnesota. Stecklein is the only player to win both the NCAA national championship and the IIHF World Women's Championship in the same year three times.{{Cite news |last=Aykroyd |first=Lucas |date=April 3, 2023 |title=From NCAA champs to Women's Worlds gold |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/ww/news/42967/from_ncaa_champs_to_women_s_worlds_gold |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404140936/https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/ww/news/42967/from_ncaa_champs_to_women_s_worlds_gold |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=International Ice Hockey Federation}}
Stecklein played in the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) with the Minnesota Whitecaps before joining the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), helping to advocate for the creation of a unified women's league. After the formation of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) in 2023, Stecklein was one of the first players to sign with Minnesota.
Playing career
=NCAA=
Stecklein played in all 41 games of her freshman season (2012–13) at Minnesota, tallying three goals and nine assists.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/mtt/lee_stecklein_802334.html |title=2013-14 Women's Ice Hockey Roster: 2 Lee Stecklein |website=University of Minnesota Athletics |access-date=February 5, 2014 |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222004107/http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/mtt/lee_stecklein_802334.html |url-status=dead }} Stecklein went on to help the team win national titles in 2013, 2015, and 2016. She was named team co-captain for her junior year and team captain for her senior year.{{cite web |title=2016-17 Women's Ice Hockey Roster: 2 Lee Stecklein |url=https://gophersports.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/lee-stecklein/10129 |website=University of Minnesota Athletics |access-date=December 3, 2022 |language=en}}
=NWHL=
Stecklein was selected second overall by the Buffalo Beauts in the 2016 NWHL Draft.{{cite magazine |last=Cimini |first=Kate |date=June 19, 2016 |title=First-round picks show how NWHL GMs view their teams |url=https://www.si.com/nhl/2016/06/19/nwhl-draft-kelsey-koezler-lee-stecklein-dani-cameranesi-ann-renee-desbiens |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621103331/http://www.si.com/nhl/2016/06/19/nwhl-draft-kelsey-koezler-lee-stecklein-dani-cameranesi-ann-renee-desbiens |archive-date=June 21, 2016 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |accessdate=June 21, 2016}} However, due to the consolidation of the national team ahead of the 2018 Olympics, Stecklein was not expected to join the team for several seasons. Stecklein's NWHL plans changed when the Minnesota Whitecaps were added to the league as an expansion team ahead of the 2018–19 season. On June 20, 2018, Stecklein signed with the Whitecaps.{{Cite web |date=June 20, 2018 |title=Team USA Gold Medalists Hannah Brandt and Lee Stecklein Join NWHL's Minnesota Whitecaps |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/team-usa-gold-medalists-hannah-brandt-and-lee-stecklein-join-nwhls-minnesota-whitecaps/n-5353284 |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=National Women's Hockey League |language=en |type=Press release |via=OurSports Central}} In her lone season with the team, Stecklein helped the team win the Isobel Cup, scoring the overtime winner in the championship game against the Beauts.{{Cite news |last=Blount |first=Rachel |date=March 18, 2019 |title=Minnesota Whitecaps win championship in overtime for historic close to first season |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-whitecaps-win-championship-in-overtime-for-historic-close-to-first-season/507273712/?refresh=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119150254/https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-whitecaps-win-championship-in-overtime-for-historic-close-to-first-season/507273712/?refresh=true |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=Star Tribune}} Earlier in the season, Stecklein was named one of the team captains for the 4th NWHL All-Star Game.{{cite web |date=November 13, 2018 |title=2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend Comes to Nashville! |url=https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/968119 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402151635/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/968119 |archive-date=April 2, 2019 |accessdate=December 13, 2018 |website=National Women's Hockey League}}
= PWHPA and the PWHL =
In 2019, following the abrupt collapse of the Canadian Women's Hockey League, Stecklein joined more than 200 other prominent women's players in founding the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), which vowed to boycott the NWHL with the goal of establishing a unified and financially stable professional league.{{Cite news |last=Kaplan |first=Emily |date=May 2, 2019 |title=Women's hockey stars to boycott pro leagues |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/26655231/women-hockey-stars-boycott-pro-leagues |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503024453/https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/26655231/women-hockey-stars-boycott-pro-leagues |archive-date=May 3, 2019 |access-date=January 6, 2024 |work=ESPN}} Stecklein released a statement saying that it was not possible to make a "sustainable living in the current state of the professional game", and specifically noted the low salaries and lack of health insurance policies.{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Randy |date=May 3, 2019 |title=Whitecaps standouts and other Olympians won't play until demands are met |url=https://www.startribune.com/lee-stecklein-hannah-brandt-among-whitecaps-saying-no-to-pro-hockey-until-demands-are-met/509384562/?refresh=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119150521/https://www.startribune.com/lee-stecklein-hannah-brandt-among-whitecaps-saying-no-to-pro-hockey-until-demands-are-met/509384562/?refresh=true |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=Star Tribune}}
In 2023, the PWHPA and its partners announced the launch of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).{{Cite news |last=Silverman |first=Alex |date=August 29, 2023 |title=PWHL announces plans for inaugural season |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/08/29/pwhl-launch |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118222536/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/08/29/pwhl-launch |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=Sports Business Journal}} On September 6, 2023, Stecklein was one of the first three players to sign with PWHL Minnesota, alongside national teammates Kendall Coyne Schofield and Kelly Pannek.{{cite web |date=September 6, 2023 |title=Coyne Schofield, Pannek and Stecklein sign with Minnesota's PWHL franchise |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/women-hockey/article/coyne-schofield-pannek-and-stecklein-sign-with-minnesotas-pwhl-franchise/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108003012/https://www.sportsnet.ca/women-hockey/article/coyne-schofield-pannek-and-stecklein-sign-with-minnesotas-pwhl-franchise/ |archive-date=November 8, 2023 |access-date=September 6, 2023 |website=Sportsnet}}{{Cite news |last=Rule |first=Heather |date=November 21, 2023 |title='The Game Deserved This' |url=https://minnesotahockeymag.com/the-game-deserved-this/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119152937/https://minnesotahockeymag.com/the-game-deserved-this/ |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=Minnesota Hockey Magazine}} Ahead of the team's inaugural season, Stecklein was named an assistant captain.{{Cite news |date=January 3, 2024 |title=PWHL Minnesota appoints Kendall Coyne as team captain |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/pwhl-minnesota-appoints-kendall-coyne-as-team-captain/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105160221/https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/pwhl-minnesota-appoints-kendall-coyne-as-team-captain/ |archive-date=January 5, 2024 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |work=Sportsnet}} Stecklein was also voted as Minnesota's player representative for the PWHL Players Association, the league's labour union.{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Ian |date=December 20, 2023 |title=PWHLPA Chooses Player Representatives |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhlpa-chooses-player-representatives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118220408/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhlpa-chooses-player-representatives |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=The Hockey News}}
Stecklein scored her first goal with Minnesota on January 14, 2024, against New York.{{Cite news |date=January 14, 2024 |title=Woods plays overtime hero as New York takes down Minnesota |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/woods-plays-overtime-hero-as-new-york-takes-down-minnesota/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117001545/https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/woods-plays-overtime-hero-as-new-york-takes-down-minnesota/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=Sportsnet |agency=AP}}
International play
Stecklein made her senior national team debut at the 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship, where she won a gold medal.[http://olympics.usahockey.com/page/show/1084859-lee-stecklein Lee Stecklein: USA Hockey player bio.]{{Cite web |title=Team USA: 2 Lee Stecklein |url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/2022olympics-leestecklein |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=USA Hockey}} She further represented Team USA at the IIHF Women's World Championship in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022, and the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Winter Olympics. In total, Stecklein won seven World Championships and one Olympic gold medal. She was named the World Championship's best defender in 2021.{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Ian |date=November 29, 2023 |title=Lee Stecklein Steps Away From USA Hockey |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/lee-stecklein-steps-away-from-usa-hockey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129221800/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/lee-stecklein-steps-away-from-usa-hockey |archive-date=November 29, 2023 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=The Hockey News}}
In 2023, Stecklein stepped away from the national team. She returned to the team in time to be selected for the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship.
Personal life
Stecklein is from Roseville, Minnesota and attended Roseville Area High School.
She graduated from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota with a BBA in entrepreneurial management in 2017. She was hired as a digital content specialist with Clif Bar in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Bumbaca |first=Chris |date=February 11, 2022 |title=Back from the 'Clif': How US women's hockey defender went from selling granola bars to Beijing Olympics |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/beijing/2022/02/05/lee-stecklein-clif-bar-usa-hockey/6674023001/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}
Career statistics
= Regular season and playoffs =
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" | ||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="97" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="97" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season !! Team !! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Roseville Raiders | {{Abbr|MNHS|Minnesota High School}}
| 27 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2010–11 | Roseville Raiders | {{Abbr|MNHS|Minnesota High School}}
| 22 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 12
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | Roseville Raiders | {{Abbr|MNHS|Minnesota High School}}
| 20 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 6
| 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2012–13 | University of Minnesota | NCAA
| 41 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 8
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | University of Minnesota | NCAA
| 40 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2015–16 | University of Minnesota | NCAA
| 40 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 8
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | University of Minnesota | NCAA
| 36 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 12
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2018–19 | Minnesota Whitecaps | NWHL
| 16 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 8
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Independent | PWHPA
| — | — | — | — | —
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2020–21 | Minnesota | PWHPA
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24
| PWHL | 24 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16
| 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2024–25 | PWHL | 30 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 6
| 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | ||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" |PWHPA totals ! 6 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 !! 0 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — | ||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" |PWHL totals ! 54 !! 5 !! 12 !! 17 !! 22 ! 18 !! 4 !! 7 !! 11 !! 4 |
{{small|Sources:}} {{Cite web |title=Lee Stecklein: Career Statistics |url=https://www.uscho.com/stats/player/wid,9512/Lee-Stecklein/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=USCHO.com |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |title=Playing profile: Lee Stecklein |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/368016/lee-stecklein |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=Elite Prospects |language=en}}
=International=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:40em" | |||||||
| ALIGN="centre" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year !! Team !! Event !! Result ! rowspan="97" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | |||||||
| 2011 | United States | U18 | {{Gold1}}
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2012 | United States | U18 | {{Silver2}}
| 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2014 | United States | OG | {{Silver2}}
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2016 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2018 | United States | OG | {{Gold1}}
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2021 | United States | WC | {{Silver2}}
| 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| 2022 | United States | OG | {{Silver2}}
| 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2022 | United States | WC | {{Silver2}}
| 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2023 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2025 | United States | WC | {{Gold1}}
| 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| ALIGN="centre" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan=4 | Junior totals ! 10 !! 0 !! 4 !! 4 !! 2 | |||||||
| ALIGN="centre" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan=4 | Senior totals ! 69 !! 8 !! 20 !! 28 !! 8 |
Sources: {{Cite book |title=IIHF Guide & Record Book 2020 |publisher=Moydart |year=2019 |isbn=9780986796470 |editor-last=Podnieks |editor-first=Andrew |location=Toronto |pages=662 |language=en |chapter=Active Skaters, Women |editor-last2=Nordmark |editor-first2=Birger}}{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2021 |title=2021 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship – Player Statistics by Team: USA - United States |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/929/ihw9290usa_83_7_0_usa |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation}}{{Cite web |date=February 17, 2022 |title=Beijing 2022 – Ice Hockey, Women – Player Statistics by Team: USA - United States |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/753/ihw7530usa_83_59_0 |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |archive-date=February 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221094056/https://www.iihf.com/pdf/753/ihw7530usa_83_59_0 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=September 4, 2022 |title=2022 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship – Player Statistics by Team: USA - United States |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/164/ihw1640usa_83_8_0 |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation}}
Awards and honors
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{ice hockey stats}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{Sports-reference}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stecklein, Lee}}
Category:American women's ice hockey defensemen
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey people from Dakota County, Minnesota
Category:Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey players
Category:Minnesota Whitecaps players
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in ice hockey
Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in ice hockey
Category:Sportspeople from Roseville, Minnesota
Category:People from South St. Paul, Minnesota
Category:Professional Women's Hockey Players Association players
Category:Minnesota Frost players
Category:Roseville Area High School alumni