Albertine Lapensée

Albertine Lapensée, born on August 10, 1898, was a pioneering Canadian ice hockey player, often celebrated as Canada's first women's hockey 'superstar'. During a time when many men were away fighting in the First World War, she emerged as a formidable athlete, playing for teams such as the Cornwall Victorias, Cornwall Nationals, Cornwall All-Stars, and Hull Vestas in 1916, and later for the Cornwall Ladies Hockey Club in 1917.

Lapensée's remarkable talent on the ice was evident as she reputedly scored over one hundred and fifty goals, leading her teams to an impressive record of forty-five wins out of forty-six games during the 1916 and 1917 seasons. Historical accounts, including one from the book 'The Miracle Maid', highlight her extraordinary achievement of scoring one hundred and twenty-three goals in just twenty-eight games, contributing to a record of twenty-seven wins, zero losses, and one tie.

In addition to her athletic prowess, Lapensée was known to demand a share of the profits from the games, showcasing her awareness of the business side of sports. However, her career was abruptly cut short in 1917 when she seemingly vanished from the hockey scene at a young age. This disappearance sparked various rumors, including speculation about her fate during the 1918 flu pandemic, claims of a transition to a male identity, and even suggestions that she was a draft dodger. Yet, none of these theories were substantiated.

A profile of her father published in 1940 dispelled these rumors, confirming that Albertine was living as a woman in New York. Her legacy as a trailblazer in women's hockey remains significant, marking her as a key figure in the history of the sport.