Thunderstorm Brewing: Pride Add Isobel Cup Champion Allie Thunstrom For 2022-23
Image Via Michelle Jay
Folks, it’s time to put the rumor mill to rest. Allie Thunstrom is a member of the Boston Pride.
At 2:00 on July 21 the Boston Pride announced the signing of Allie Thunstrom. A player who needs no introduction and has had PHF fans in frenzied speculation. Let’s break down the signing.
There are so many places to begin with Thunstrom; her speed, scoring, awards, and leadership. We’ll start at the beginning: Boston College. Yes, this is technically a homecoming for Thunstrom who never missed a game during her time as an Eagle. She scored 139 points in 141 games while attending BC.
Following her senior season, in 2010 Thunstrom would join Team USA at the Four Nations Cup in St. John’s and take home a Silver Medal. Then there was a gap.
It wouldn't be until 2017 when Allie Thunstrom laced up her skates professionally again. A brief history of the Minnesota Whitecaps: after the folding of the Western Women’s Hockey League in 2011, the team would play as an independent. It was during their years of scrimmaging professional and college teams that Thunstrom joined (2017-18).
It wouldn’t take long for Thunstrom to see action in a professional league as the next season the Minnesota Whitecaps were announced as an expansion team for Season 4. In her second year with the Whitecaps Thunstrom scored 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points in 16 games. She earned a bid to the 2019 All-Star game in Nashville (Team Stecklein) and added another point in the playoffs when aiding the Whitecaps in capturing their first Isobel Cup.
Thunstrom, however, became synonymous with scoring during the 2019-20 campaign. There she erupted for 24 goals and 12 assists for 36 points setting the league’s all-time single season goal scoring record en route to the second seed behind Boston. She’d once again be named an All-Star for Team Dempsey and share the award as league MVP with Jillian Dempsey. In the playoff she would add another goal against Metropolitan of the Isobel Cup Playoffs before the cancellation of the 2020 Isobel Cup.
Bubble hockey was not kind to Thunstrom as in Lake Placid she would not score in any of the 4 games she played in. However when the playoffs moved to Boston, Thunstrom roared to life scoring 4 goals in 2 games ultimately falling to the Pride in the 2021 Isobel Cup.
Thunstrom was re-named an alternate captain for 2021-22 and notched 18 goals and 3 assists in 20 games earning Minnesota the 5th seed in Tampa Bay. She was named an All-Star Captain in Buffalo, hosting her own team. Her two goals in two games helped lift the Whitecaps over the Riveters in the first round but wasn’t enough to defeat Connecticut in the semifinals.
Let’s break down her skills: Thunstrom won the 2020 speed contest at the All-Star Game in Boston. Her speed will be effective on the power-play and driving to the net. She’s a natural goal-scorer who can crash the net and snag a few snipes. As an alternate captain she’s a clear voice in the locker room and had led her team to success before.
Not to mention her accolades. Thunstrom was 2006 Minnesota Ms. Hockey, led the Hockey East in goals in 2009-10, was co-MVP in 2020, and attended the 2022 ECHL All-Star Game as a women’s hockey participant scoring in the first period. With only 64 games under her belt, Thunstrom is 3rd all-time in goals with 47, only trailing two 100-point scorers in Jillian Dempsey and Madison Packer.
Assuming Dempsey returns, the Pride’s lineup will feature three of the league’s top four goal scorers of all time (McKenna Brand sits fourth, with 33 career goals). Thunstrom sits 7th in all-time scoring with 66 points in 64 games. Make no mistake - this addition is akin to when John Tavares left the Islanders. The Pride managed to add an MVP caliber player without losing any assets… except a little cap space.
For Paul Mara, this adds speed where he was lacking and aids on a powerplay that has suffered outside of the playoffs for the last two seasons. Thunstrom will be top-six and likely slide alongside Dempsey and Brand. However, putting her on the Wenczkowski or Davis lines (should they return) is also a strong choice. Boston lacked speed last season, and Thunstrom brings it.
Another new face in the locker room continues improving this team. Thunstrom should slide in and fit well in the Pride’s system. She’s a winner at heart and wants her second Cup. Let’s get her it.
And while we’re getting Thunstrom her second, let’s get ourselves a fourth Cup.
