Alina Müller Explained
Alina Müller (born 12 March 1998) is a Swiss ice hockey forward for PWHL Boston of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the Switzerland women's national ice hockey team. She played college ice hockey at Northeastern. At the age of 15, she became the youngest ice hockey player ever to win an Olympic medal, scoring the game-winning goal for Switzerland in the bronze medal game at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[1]
Playing career
2014 Sochi Olympics
Müller represented Switzerland at the 2014 Winter Olympics and helped them win a bronze medal after scoring the game-winning goal to defeat Sweden in the bronze medal playoff. This resulted in her becoming the youngest ice hockey player to ever win an Olympic medal, at the age of 15.[1] [2]
2018 PyeongChang Olympics
During the Swiss opening match against the United Korean team at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Müller tied the Olympic record for most goals scored by a woman in an Olympic game.[2] She scored a hat trick in the first period, and a fourth goal in the second.[2] Müller helped Switzerland place 5th overall at the 2018 Olympics.[3]
PWHL
On September 18, 2023, Müller was selected in the 1st round, 3rd overall by PWHL Boston at the 2023 PWHL Draft, becoming the first European player affiliated with a PWHL team.[4]
In the inaugural season of the league, Müller helped her team reach the Walter Cup Finals, and she would score a double overtime winner in Game 4 against PWHL Minnesota to force a decisive Game 5. Unfortunately, Müller and Boston would be shut out on home ice, losing the Finals.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| | Regular season | | Playoffs |
|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|
| 2012–13 | ZSC Lions | LKA | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | ZSC Lions | LKA | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | ZSC Lions | SWHL A | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | ZSC Lions | SWHL A | 17 | 33 | 24 | 57 | 12 | 6 | 17 | 6 | 23 | 0 |
| 2018–19 | Northeastern University | NCAA | 37 | 21 | 30 | 51 | 34 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2019–20 | Northeastern University | NCAA | 38 | 27 | 39 | 66 | 12 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2020–21 | Northeastern University | NCAA | 25 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2021–22 | Northeastern University | NCAA | 21 | 11 | 28 | 39 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2022–23 | Northeastern University | NCAA | 38 | 27 | 33 | 60 | 12 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2023–24 | PWHL Boston | PWHL | 24 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| PWHL totals | 24 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
|---|
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|
| 2013 | Switzerland | U18 D1 | | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| Switzerland | OG | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2014 | Switzerland | U18 D1 | | 5 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 4 |
| 2015 | Switzerland | U18 | 7th | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 2015 | Switzerland | WC | 6th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2016 | Switzerland | U18 | 7th | 5 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 10 |
| 2016 | Switzerland | WC | 7th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Switzerland | OGQ | Q | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| 2017 | Switzerland | WC | 7th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| Switzerland | OG | 5th | 6 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 4 |
| Switzerland | WC | 5th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2021 | Switzerland | WC | 4th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 | Switzerland | OG | 4th | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 |
| 2022 | Switzerland | WC | 4th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | Switzerland | WC | 4th | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| 2024 | Switzerland | WC | 5th | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
|---|
| Junior totals | 20 | 24 | 9 | 33 | 20 |
|---|
| Senior totals | 56 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 42 | |
|---|
Awards and honors
- 2018 Swiss Ice Hockey Woman of the Year[5]
- 2018-19 CCM/AHCA First Team All-American
- 2019 Swiss Ice Hockey Woman of the Year[6]
- 2019-20 CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American
- 2020-21 CCM/AHCA First Team All-American[7]
- 2020-21 All-USCHO.com First Team[8]
- 2021 Hockey East Scoring Champion (31 points)[9]
- 2021 NCAA All-Tournament Team
- Hockey Commissioners Association Women’s Player of the Month (February 2021) [10]
- 2022 Swiss Ice Hockey Woman of the Year[11]
- 2023–24 PWHL All-Rookie Team[12]
Personal life
Alina Müller is the younger sister of professional hockey player Mirco Müller, a former member of the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.[13]
Notes and References
- Web site: ATHLETE PROFILE - ALINA MULLER. olympic.org. 14 February 2018. 15 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180215143722/https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018/results/en/ice-hockey/athlete-profile-n3034679-alina-muller.htm. live.
- Web site: Blinn. Michael. Alina Muller Ties Olympic Ice Hockey Mark With Four Goals in Swiss Win Over Korea. si.com. 14 February 2018. 10 February 2018. 15 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180215084240/https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/10/pyeongchang-2018-alina-muller-switzerland-four-goals-korea. live.
- News: Gallagher. Jack. Switzerland edges Smile Japan to place fifth-place finish. 22 February 2018. The Japan Times. 20 February 2018. 22 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180222173604/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/02/20/olympics/winter-olympics/olympics-ice-hockey/switzerland-edges-smile-japan-earn-fifth-place-finish/#.Wo6CZBPwZD0. live.
- Web site: PWHL Draft Tracker: Round-by-round recap of all 90 selections . 2023-09-19 . Sportsnet.ca . en . 13 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231113211950/https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/pwhl-draft-tracker-follow-every-pick/ . live .
- Web site: Alina Müller Wears the Innovation . Aycane . 20 December 2023 . 4 August 2022 . 20 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231220042439/https://aycane.com/en-us/blogs/ambassadors/alina_mueller . live .
- Web site: Gewinner 1997-2021 . 2023-02-07 . www.sihf.ch . de . 9 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230609051933/https://www.sihf.ch/de/events/awards/archiv-gewinner-1997-2021/ . live .
- News: Five Hockey East Players Players Named CCM/AHCA Women's All-Americans - NCAA #1 seed Northeastern boasts four players on the two teams. hockeyeastonline.com. 19 March 2021. 19 March 2021. en. 19 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210319151115/http://hockeyeastonline.com/women/articles/2021/03/five-hockey-east-players-named-ccm-ahca-womens-all-americans.php. live.
- News: Women's Division I College Hockey: 2020-2021 All-USCHO Teams. uscho.com. 2 April 2021. 29 March 2021. en. 16 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416064329/https://www.uscho.com/2021/04/02/womens-division-i-college-hockey-2020-2021-all-uscho-teams/. live.
- News: HOCKEY EAST NAMES WOMEN'S PRO AMBITIONS ALL-ROOKIE TEAM: Five Other Award Winners Announced for 2020-21 Season. hockeyastonline.com. 26 February 2021. 15 April 2021. en. 4 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230204012356/https://hockeyeastonline.com/women/articles/2021/02/hockey-east-names-womens-pro-ambitions-all-rookie-team.php. live.
- News: Northeastern's Mueller, Frankel, Wisconsin's Eden tabbed HCA women's hockey award winners for February. uscho.com. 3 March 2021. 16 April 2021. en. 16 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416133215/https://www.uscho.com/2021/03/03/northeasterns-mueller-frankel-wisconsins-eden-tabbed-hca-womens-hockey-award-winners-for-february/. live.
- Web site: Swiss Ice Hockey Awards 2022 . 2023-02-07 . www.sihf.ch . de . 1 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231001111242/https://www.sihf.ch/de/events/awards/awards-2022 . live .
- Web site: PWHL Hands Out Year End Awards, Spooner Named MVP . . Ian . Kennedy . June 11, 2024 . June 11, 2024.
- News: Hascup. Jimmy. Alina Muller, sister of NHL's Mirco, shines in Switzerland's rout at Winter Olympics. 14 February 2018. USA Today. 10 February 2018. 9 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180409043149/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/winter-olympics-2018/2018/02/10/alina-muller-mirco-winter-olympics-hockey/326034002/. live.
