Alena Mills

Alena Mills née Polenská (born 9 June 1990) is a Czech ice hockey player who last played for Brynäs IF Dam of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL)[1] and former captain of the Czech Republic women's national ice hockey team. She was part of the first Czech team that made their top-level IIHF World Women's Championship debut at the 2013 tournament as well as captain of the first Czech team to earn a medal at the World Women's Championship in 2022.[2]

Alena Mills
Mills on Show Jana Krause in 2019
Born (1990-06-09) 9 June 1990
Kutná Hora, Czechoslovakia
Height 172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb; 12 st 6 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
SDHL team
Former teams		 Brynäs IF
KRS Vanke Rays
HPK Hämeenlinna
Agidel Ufa
Dinamo St. Petersburg
Brown Bears
National team  Czech Republic
Playing career 2004–present
Medal record
World Championship
Bronze medal – third place2022 Denmark
Bronze medal – third place2023 Canada
World U18 Championship
Bronze medal – third place2008 Canada

Playing career

She won a bronze medal for the Czech Republic at the 2008 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship. In the bronze medal game, Mills scored two goals.[3] At the 2008 Roller Hockey World Championships, she won a gold medal. It marked the first time that a European team had won the event. On August 12, 2010, she was named captain of the Czech Republic Olympic Development Team.[4]

NCAA

Mills joined the Brown Bears in the autumn of 2009 and appeared in 28 games during her freshman campaign. Her five goals tied for first on the squad, and her 96 shots on goal led all Bears skaters.[5] On January 31, 2010, versus Yale, she registered two assists. In an exhibition game versus the Etobicoke Dolphins on October 17, 2010, Mills scored two goals in a 5–2 victory.[6]

Russia

Mills played in Russia from 2014 to 2022. Her first season was played in the Russian Women's Hockey League (RWHL) with Dinamo Saint Petersburg, and she then remained with the club as the RWHL was replaced by the Zhenskaya Hockey League for the 2015–16 season. After four seasons with Dinamo, she signed with Agidel Ufa in 2018. With Agidel, Mills won the 2019 Russian Championship and was selected for the ZhHL All-Star Game in 2019 and 2020.[7] Following that season, she signed with the KRS Vanke Rays[8]

Sweden

After leaving the Vanke Rays, Mills signed with Brynäs IF Dam.[1] She left Brynäs following the 2023 season.[9]

International

Mills has been a stalwart member of the Czech National team for nearly two decades. She has been captain since 2010[10] and led the team through promotion to the Top Division as well as their first medal win.[2] She also served as flag bearer for the Czechs during the 2022 Winter Olympics.[11] After playing 260 international games, Mills announced her retirement from the National team in June 2023.[12]

Personal life

Mills' Czech Republic jersey from the 2008 IIHF Women's U18 World Championship was displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.[13]

In June 2018, she married American ex-pat Thomas Mills, who she met while playing in Saint Petersburg.[14] Thomas Mills grew up in Hoonah and Juneau, Alaska and, as of February 2022, teaches in Russia while his wife is traveling playing hockey.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Brown University NCAA 28 5 5 10 12 – – – – –
2010–11 Brown University NCAA 26 10 7 17 12 – – – – –
2011–12 Brown University NCAA 23 7 8 15 12 – – – – –
2012–13 Brown University NCAA 22 9 10 19 16 – – – – –
2014–15 Dinamo St. Petersburg RWHL 32 22 21 43 18 – – – – –
2015–16 Dinamo St. Petersburg ZhHL 24 20 16 36 10 – – – – –
2016–17 Dinamo St. Petersburg ZhHL 36 13 16 36 10 – – – – –
2017–18 Dinamo St. Petersburg ZhHL 24 5 11 16 10 2 0 0 0 0
2018–19 Agidel Ufa ZhHL 32 22 14 36 14 6 0 1 1 2
2019–20 Agidel Ufa ZhHL 28 12 17 29 12 5 2 3 5 6
2020–21 KRS Vanke Rays ZhHL 28 9 13 22 34 5 5 1 6 6
2021–22 HPK Naisten Liiga 6 3 0 3 0 – – – – –
NCAA totals 99 31 30 61 52 – – – – –
Russia totals 204 103 108 211 136 18 7 5 12 14

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Czech Republic OGQ DNQ 2 0 0 0 2
2005 Czech Republic WWC D1 3rd 5 0 2 2 4
2008 Czech Republic U18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 5 6 3 9 0
2008 Czech Republic WWC D1 3rd 5 1 4 5 8
2008 Czech Republic OGQ DNQ 3 4 1 5 0
2009 Czech Republic WWC D1 5th 5 2 4 6 2
2011 Czech Republic WWC D2 1st 4 1 6 7 0
2012 Czech Republic WWC D1A 1st 5 3 2 5 2
2013 Czech Republic OGQ DNQ 3 1 0 1 2
2013 Czech Republic WWC 8th 5 1 1 2 6
2014 Czech Republic WWC D1A 1st 5 4 3 7 4
2014 Czech Republic WWQ DNQ 3 1 0 1 2
2015 Czech Republic WWC D1A 1st 5 4 3 7 0
2016 Czech Republic WWC 6th 5 3 2 5 0
2017 Czech Republic OGQ DNQ 3 0 1 1 0
2017 Czech Republic WWC 8th 6 0 1 1 4
2019 Czech Republic WW 6th 5 2 3 5 2
2021 Czech Republic WWC 7th 6 5 2 7 4
2021 Czech Republic OGQ Q 3 3 1 4 2
2022 Czech Republic WWC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 1 2 3 2
2023 Czech Republic WWC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 6 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 5 6 3 9 0
Senior totals 91 37 39 76 48

Sources: [16][17][18]

Awards and honors
  • Most Valuable Player for the Czech Republic, 2008 U18 World Championship
  • Most Valuable Player, Princeton Tiger Lilies, 2009[19]

References
  1. "Tjeckisk toppspelare klar för Brynäs IF – centern Alena Mills ansluter". Brynäs IF (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  2. Podnieks, Andrew. "Czechia wins historic bronze". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  3. "IIHF World Womens U18 Championship, Women – Play-Off Bronze Medal Game, Game 19 – Game Summary: SWE - CZE 2-4" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. 13 January 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 March 2018.
  4. "Polenska Named Czech Team Captain". ECAC Hockey (Press release). 12 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  5. http://www.brownbears.com/sports/w-hockey/2010-11/bios/polenska%20alena00 Archived 26 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Polenska Powers Brown to Exhibition Win". ECAC Hockey. 17 October 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  7. "Interview with Alena Polenská". hc-forward.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 3 October 2013.
  8. "Алена Миллс подписала контракт с "Ванке Рэйз"" (in Russian). Kontinental Hockey League. 10 December 2021. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  9. "Trio av spelare lämnar Brynäs IF". www.brynas.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  10. "Alena Polenska Named Czech Hockey Team Captain". Brown University Athletics. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  11. Žehanová, Barbora. "Českou vlajku na zahájení ponesou hokejová kapitánka Mills a krasobruslař Březina". www.olympijskytym.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  12. Montroy, Liz (11 June 2023). "Alena Mills announces national team retirement". IIHF. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  13. "Alena Polenska". The Times Leader. 18 May 2009. Archived from the original on 20 October 2011.
  14. Kemmerer, Gillian (4 May 2020). "Ice Diaries: Alena Mills". Kontinental Hockey League. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  15. Stremple, Claire (14 February 2022). "Why one Hoonah family rooted for the Czech women's hockey team this Olympics". KTOO. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  16. "The Official Website of Hockey Canada | Minor Hockey, Team Canada, National Championships and more". www.hockeycanada.ca. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  17. "Alena Polenska: Career Statistics". USCHO.com. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  18. Podnieks, Andrew; Nordmark, Birger, eds. (2019). IIHF Guide & Record Book 2020. Toronto: Moydart. p. 655. ISBN 9780986796470.
  19. "Brown Welcomes Class of 2013". ECAC Hockey. 1 September 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
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