USA U-18 captain Jane Daley registered a goal and three assists throughout the 2026 U-18 Summer Series, leading her team both on and off-the-ice. She's part of USA's future offensive firepower.
When you’re watching a team flood onto the ice ahead of a game, oftentimes, you may see a player or two waiting by the gate with a high-five ready for everyone.
They’re the last on the ice at the beginning and the last off it once the final whistle goes, regardless of the result on the scoreboard.
It’s a pretty standard practice for most teams ahead of big games.
For Team USA during the U-18 Summer Series out in Richmond, BC, that role fell onto U.S. captain Jane Daley.
After a 5–1 loss to Canada in Game 2, Daley is last off the ice after acknowledging every teammate.
Before a big 5–4 win in Game 3, Daley greets every teammate with a fist-bump before stepping onto the ice.
Taking part in this action, Daley told The Hockey News on Thursday evening, ultimately depends on how the game is shaking out.
“They battle their hearts out every time they step on the ice, so it’s good to make sure they know that and have that trust because they really deserve it.”
Team USA’s captain joined the U-18 squad for their camp and summer series against Canada after representing the U.S. twice in international competition — at the 2024–25 and 2025–26 World Junior Championships. The 17-year-old collected the tournament’s top forward, all-star team, and MVP titles en route to a Gold Medal at last year’s under-18 competition. During this, she put up a tournament-high 12 goals and five assists in six games.
As one of the team’s more-experienced players this time around, the forward spoke on how this competition has differed from others for her.
“It’s been a little bit different this year — obviously, the girls come and go, but with us returners having to have more of a role this year and pick it up, but overall, it’s been a lot of fun. These girls are great, and I’m having a blast.”
Despite a new role as Team USA’s captain, something paired with extra responsibility, Daley still made her presence known on the scoresheet. While things weren’t all sparkling for Team USA through the series, as both the U.S.’s U-18 and collegiate roster lost their first two games of the competition, Daley was one of her team’s standouts during Saturday’s finale game — a 5–4 U.S. win that saw her collect three assists.
The forward finished the competition with her team’s lead in points (4), second in the tournament only to Canada’s Adrianna Milani (9).
Separate from the scoresheet, however, Daley was still noticeably creating scoring chances and forcing turnovers to create more offence for her team.
Leading a team on their scoresheet is no easy feat, especially with a captain’s ‘C’ on the jersey. It’s an honour that Daley had yet to take in as part of the U.S.’s national team up until the summer series.
But captain or not, Daley knows that the biggest honour comes from representing her country.
“It’s always an honour just to play for your country, and I’m so grateful for that. I’m proud to wear just the United States across my chest with a letter, without a letter, just an honour to even be here.”
It’s that kind of mindset that makes a leader a leader.
It’s the quiet, patient stance by the gate at the end of a game. It’s the focus on getting better, regardless of what the scoreboard says. It’s about not taking highs too high, and not taking the lows too low.
All this and more are what she’ll bring when she returns to Shattuck St. Mary’s for the 2026–27 season, where she’s piled on back-to-back-to-back 50-assist seasons. It’s what she’ll bring when she heads to Ohio State University, where she’s committed to after she graduates from high-school in 2027.
“Effort, work effort, attitude. Everything that I can do there, I can bring over here, and everything that happens here, I can bring over there. Just kind of implementing what I can do to a team.”
