USA Hockey Continues to Disrespect Jonna Albers

Throughout her career, Jonna Albers has been constantly overlooked. I’m guilty of it too. Back in 2018 when the Minnesota Whitecaps joined the NWHL (and she was Jonna Curtis), I didn’t know who she was. I knew all the big names on their roster – like Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hannah Brandt, Lee Stecklein, and a few others. But after seven points (3g-4a) in her first four games – highlighted by five points in two games in the Metropolitan Riveters’ home rink –  I knew I would never forget Jonna Albers’ name.

In high school – she posted 181 points in 78 games, in college – she compiled 106 points in 122 games. Somehow, inexplicably, the Elk River, Minnesota native has never represented her country. At any level. Hell, she hasn’t even gotten an invite to a training camp or any of those glorified exhibitions Team USA plays. How the hell is that possible?

Flash forward to the present day. The NWHL became the PHF in 2021 and in the summer of 2023 the PHF ended with Albers third in all-time points during the eight seasons that the league lasted. Oh, and she only played the last five seasons. The fastest to 100 points (in just 85 games!), the diminutive forward (listed at 5’4) was perhaps the league’s most dominant player in its history. 42 goals, 58 assists, 2018 Isobel Cup champion, Whitecaps’ all-time leader in points and assists (in the NW/PHF era), 2018 Newcomer of the Year, and a four-time All-Star.

My former journalistic colleague (and former Buffalo Beauts GM) Nate Oliver always called Marie-Jo Pelletier ‘Mighty Mouse’ because of how small she was compared to the others on the ice. Still, perhaps that moniker should’ve been given to Albers for all of her accolades.

In March, she just about singlehandedly carried the Minnesota Whitecaps to their second Isobel Cup championship, by racking up five points (4g-1a) in a two-game sweep of the top-seeded Boston Pride – including a hat trick that set the tone in Game 1 of the best-of-three series. Lest we forget the Whitecaps entered the playoffs on an eight-game losing skid.

“Jonna was all-world this weekend. These two games, she beat us almost singlehandedly,” Boston Head Coach Paul Mara told The Ice Garden after the stunning sweep. And in ten career playoff games the University of New Hampshire product had a total of 15 points (5g-10a).

“It’s a shame that USA Hockey would not want Jonna Albers as a part of their program, or at least give her a shot. She completely dominated the NWHL/PHF with and without the Olympians,” former Whitecap and Riveter Audra Morrison told TIG.

“She has the ability, and skillset, to play with anyone she is put with. Jonna is shifty, fast, and it is nearly impossible to strip her of the puck. She finds ways to get to the net in every single game, and is as good of an offensive player as she is a defensive player.”

“If Jonna wants the puck, she will do everything in her power to get it,” added Morrison. “She is tenacious all over the ice. It is truly shocking she hasn’t been given a shot [with Team USA Hockey].”

Is it her size? Age? Did she not go to the right schools? Is she not friends with the right circle of people? WTF?

For me, it’s mind-bottling. Look, I’m no expert, but I know a thing or two about a thing or two, and I know that woman can play hockey. At an elite level. The fact that she hasn’t even gotten a glancing look, is supremely disrespectful in my eyes. Even if it’s just to sit on the bench and never play as a fourth-liner like Team USA frequently likes to do.

With all due respect to her teammates on the Whitecaps last season who were invited to play for Team USA for a handful of games in the Rivalry Series against Team Canada – Albers should have gone ahead of them (all of them) and should have been the number one choice. She’s one of the most talented players of this generation, period.

Of the Whitecaps’ top-6 forwards last season, five of them have experience playing for their National Teams, with Albers the lone exception. If you combine those five player’s point totals from the PHF they still would have 25 fewer points than Albers did in her five seasons as a pro.

I’m sure this article won’t make a difference, but the disrespect feels real every time USA Hockey plays a game, has a camp, or announces a roster without Albers on it.