Danielle "Elle" Hartje (born April 13, 2001) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the New York Sirens of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She played college ice hockey with the Yale Bulldogs women's ice hockey program.

Elle Hartje
Born (2001-04-13) April 13, 2001 (age 23)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Position Center
Shoots Left
PWHL team
Former teams
New York Sirens
ŠKP Bratislava
National team  Slovakia
Playing career 2024–present

Playing career

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College

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Hartje played her college hockey at Yale. Following her rookie season at Yale, she played for HC ŠKP Bratislava in the European Women's Hockey League (EWHL), leading the team in points with 25.[1][2]

Returning to the Bulldogs for the 2021–22 season, she broke Yale's record for most assists in a season with 35 and scored 51 points, the second most single-season points in Yale history. She led ECAC Hockey in points-per-game with 1.42. She was named first-team All-ECAC and first-team All-Ivy League while leading Yale to its first ever Frozen Four. In 2022–23, she averaged two points per game and broke her own Yale single-season assists record, recording 39 in a season. She was the NCAA statistical leader in assists per game with 1.18/game and was named an All-American. She was once again first-team All-ECAC and first-team All-Ivy. Yale won the Ivy League and Hartje was named Ivy League Player of the Year.[3]

In 2023–24, Hartje served as the captain for Yale.[4] She earned All-Ivy and All-ECAC honors and broke Yale's all-time scoring record which had stood for 35 years, graduating with 168 points in 129 games.[5][6][7]

Professional

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Entering the 2024 PWHL Draft, Hartje was projected as a top-20 pick by The Hockey News because of her 200-foot play, playmaking ability, and face-off prowess.[6] She was drafted by the New York Sirens in the fifth round, 25th overall.[8] The Sirens signed her to a three-year contract following their preseason camp.[9]

International play

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Hartje played as a member of the United States under-18 team at the U18 Series against Canada in 2018. And has twice represented the US as part of the U-22 team playing against Canada. She has also participated in USA Hockey Women's National Festivals and player development camps, most recently at the senior level in 2024.[10]

Hartje played for the Slovak national team in 2021 against Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic after she had lived in Slovakia for eight months and established residency. She received permission from USA Hockey to play with the team and is still eligible for the American national team player pool.[11]

Personal life

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Hartje is one of four children of Tod Hartje and Nicole Hartje (née Rival). Both of her parents attended Harvard University, where her father played on the ice hockey team and her mother was captain of the tennis team. Her father went on to play professional ice hockey in the Soviet Championship League, the American Hockey League, and the International Hockey League, among others. [2][11][12] Her maternal grandparents are from Bratislava, Slovakia.[11]

She grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit, and attended Detroit Country Day School. During high school, she played for Detroit Country Day's tennis and soccer teams and, ultimately, captained both teams. A four-time All-State selection in both sports, she was a Michigan Athlete of the Year and named High School Athlete of the Year by The Jewish News and the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation.[2][11]

She studied political science at Yale University and was a four-time Academic All-American. She was awarded ECAC Hockey's Mandi Schwartz Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2024 for her on-ice skill and off-ice dedication to community service. Her community outreach included organizing volunteer work at the Yale Community Kitchen, a fundraiser for Court Appointed Special Advocates, and involvement with Yale's Student Athlete organizations.[12][13]. She was also a Sarah Devens Award recipient, an award given jointly by Hockey East and the ECAC to one player.

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2019–20 Yale University ECAC 28 11 14 25 12
2020–21 ŠKP Bratislava EWHL 16 11 14 25 8
2021–22 Yale University ECAC 36 16 35 51 12
2022–23 Yale University ECAC 33 13 39 52 6
2023–24 Yale University ECAC 32 12 28 40 18
NCAA totals 128 52 116 168 48

References

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  1. ^ Kennedy, Ian (April 25, 2024). "Elle Hartje Thankful For A Future That Can Now Include The PWHL". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Stein, Steve (June 21, 2024). "Jewish News High School Athlete of the Year Elle Hartje Drafted into Pro Hockey League". The Jewish News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  3. ^ "Elle Hartje". Yale University Athletics. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  4. ^ "Hartje Tabbed Captain of 2023-24 Bulldogs". Yale University Athletics. May 8, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  5. ^ "Hartje Earns All-Ivy, All-ECAC Honors". Yale University Athletics. February 28, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Kennedy, Ian (May 18, 2024). "PWHL Draft Profile: Elle Hartje". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  7. ^ "Hartje Breaks Points Record as Bulldogs Defeat Union". Yale University Athletics. February 24, 2024. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Benwell, Cee (September 20, 2024). "Elle Hartje Excited To Earn Her Ice With The New York Sirens". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  9. ^ Kennedy, Ian (November 29, 2024). "New York Sirens Announce Their Final Roster Ahead Of PWHL Puck Drop". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  10. ^ "Elle Hartje". USA Hockey. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d Stein, Steve (January 20, 2021). "Hockey Star Elle Hartje Explores Family Roots, Grows Personally During Pandemic-Plagued Season in Slovakia". The Jewish News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Stein, Steve (February 23, 2024). "The College Hockey Star Who Does It All". The Jewish News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  13. ^ "Hartje Named 2024 Mandi Schwartz Scholar-Athlete of the Year Winner". Yale University Athletics. February 9, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
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