Jamie Glance sat at the First Watch restaurant next to USA Hockey Arena on March 23. He was having lunch with a few friends and his father. It was about 11 a.m. and Glance had a flight out of Michigan in two hours. Then, his phone rang.
The 15-year-old was called into the U.S. National Team Development Program office and offered a spot on the Under-17 roster for the 2024-25 season.
A goal Glance set for himself at the beginning of the season at Mount Saint Charles Academy suddenly had become a reality.
“It was a mental roller coaster throughout that whole camp. It was definitely stressful. There’s a ton of guys that deserve that spot, so we were all hoping,” Glance said. “Me and my dad kind of got up and hugged each other. It was a crazy process with a relief of an ending.”
Glance (Stratham, N.H.) talked with NTDP assistant executive director Scott Monaghan and director of player personnel Rod Braceful. It was a done deal: Glance would suit up to represent his country alongside the top players of his age group.
“It’s an honor. It’s insane. I still can’t get my mind over it,” Glance said. “Just watching world juniors, the Olympics throughout my whole life, it’s really been a dream of mine.”
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To get to this point in his hockey career, Glance had to fully commit to himself as an athlete on and off the ice. The right-shot forward posted 112 points (54 goals, 58 assists) through 58 games with Mount Saint Charles in the 2023-24 season. It took him just 50 games to hit the 100-point mark. The unparalleled consistency made all the difference for both Glance and his team’s success.
“I think some kids are just mature beyond their years, to be honest with you,” Scott Gainey, Mount Saint Charles’ 15O head coach, said. “I think Jamie is just ahead of the curve right now. It’s one of those things where he’s dedicated himself to his craft both physically and mentally. Obviously, he’s reaping the rewards.”
Glance skated on a line with William Bent (Dover, Mass.) and Chance Adams for a majority of the year. The trio combining for 252 points. Glance credits his teammates for pushing him to grow in all aspects of his game and “always making it happen out there.” One of Glance’s greatest strengths is making those he plays with better. Gainey called it an unteachable intangible.
“It’s always nice to have a weapon like Jamie in your lineup. I think the other thing is that the way that Jamie plays the game is with confidence,” Gainey said. “It’s one of the biggest things that you can see, how it directly affects the players around him as well.”
Beyond the goal scoring, which is an obvious upside to Glance’s résumé – he has focused on his work away from the puck. The ability to battle in all three zones is a non-negotiable now, and Glance understands the importance of a 200-foot game. What’s more, he’s strong. Despite his smaller size at 5-foot-9, 155 pounds, Glance doesn’t get pushed off pucks, and his swift skating skills help him avoid big hits. His moves around the net, though, are highlight worthy.
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“Some of the goals that he has, you kind of shake your head a little bit at. Some of the quick moves that he has, he can turn on a dime, change directions on a dime,” Gainey said. “You shake your head a little bit and go, ‘Huh, he might have it.’ ”
Glance leaned on the guidance of former teammates when working through the process of making the NTDP team and putting together the best season he could at Mount Saint Charles. James Hagens, Conrad Fonrdk and Carter Amico — who are all now at the program — played at Mount Saint Charles and have been in Glance’s shoes.
“Knowing them kind of boosted my want and will to make that (team),” Glance said. “(Hagens) has kind of been on the same path and the same road as me. So, I kind of try to look after him and what he’s doing and follow his lead.”
Cole Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass.), the new record-holder for career goals at the NTDP with 127, also has been a resource for Glance as he navigates the next stage of his career.
As a New England kid, the prospect of playing college hockey is something Glance thinks about. There’s still some time before the 2008-born player can make a commitment, but Gainey believes his options will be open.
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“That’s been a dream of mine for a while, playing college hockey. I’ve been to a lot of games. (I’m) from New Hampshire, so I’ve been to a bunch of UNH games,” Glance said. “The atmosphere is unreal and it’s something I’ve always dreamed of since I was a kid. Knowing that that’s the next big step is wild.”
Hagens, Amico, Fondrk, Eiserman — and a bevy of former NTDP players — are split between Boston College and Boston University as it stands. Perhaps Glance can find a home within Hockey East, too.
For now, though, the NTDP is Glance’s sole focus. And, he’s ready to go.
“At the start of the year I set my mind to it and did the best I could this year to change my mindset and strive for my goals,” Glance said. “To know that’s happening, I’m so honored and I’m super fortunate.”
