Bode Laylin’s hockey life has been built around family, and the Flames’ sixth-round pick is carrying that into the next stage of his career.
The 18-year-old defenceman was at home in St. Michael, Minn., with his family during NHL Draft weekend when Calgary called his name. The moment landed hard.
“I was with my family at home and we were just playing a little game to get my mind off it, and I heard my name called, and yeah, it was surreal,” Laylin recalled of the moment that saw him selected by the Flames. “I mean, it was really cool.
“And then right after, I got a few phone calls, didn't even know what was happening. It was a special moment.”
Laylin’s path has been shaped by a hockey household from the start. His father, Cory, is about to begin his first season as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, while Bode has two older brothers who also play the game - one in the German pro ranks and the other in the NCAA.
That family connection has been a constant, but so has the guidance from Cory, who has done plenty more than just watch from the sideline.
“He's had a huge impact on my life,” Bode said of his father. “As a player, he's coached me when I was younger in Pee Wee's and Bantams, but then he kind of let me go do my own thing in high school. So he's taught me a lot.
“I mean, I call him after every game, every day. He lets me know what's going on, on his team, what to look out for, for the other team; like he does reports for me, and it's pretty cool just having such a good hockey mind, letting me know what to do.”
Cory’s own playing career stretched 16 years in the pro ranks and took him from Slovenia to San Diego. The family also lived in Italy while he coached there.
Draft weekend barely gave Laylin time to catch his breath. Less than 48 hours after hearing his name called, he was on a plane to Calgary for his first pro development camp, where he settled in quickly. He finished the week with a multi-point effort in the Snowy Cup, highlighted by a shootout goal and a primary assist on a Cole Reschny tap-in.
That Calgary trip also offered a glimpse of what’s coming next. Laylin has signed with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips for 2026-27 after spending two full seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.
He said he jumped right into Everett’s Memorial Cup run as soon as he committed, following along as the club claimed its first WHL crown before reaching the final of the tournament.
“Right when I committed there, I immediately turned the games on and watched,” he said of Everett’s Memorial Cup run - a month that saw the franchise claim its first WHL crown before reaching the final of the prestigious tournament. “I know a couple guys on the team already, I'm super excited.
“I mean, I didn't have to go visit. I just already knew it was a special place by all the people that have told me. All the fans are great, and I'm just really excited to get a little change in my life and get up there to the Dub.”
Everett has become a familiar landing spot for defencemen, too. Flames prospect Eric Jamieson is a former Silvertips captain, and Calgarian Landon DuPont, a top prospect for the 2027 Draft, also made noise with the program before committing to the University of Michigan last month.
On the ice, Laylin calls himself a 200-foot defenceman, but his numbers at Tri-City show some offence in the package as well. He doubled his point total from the previous season, finishing with 11 goals and 38 points this winter.
For now, the focus is on what comes next: a new league for Bode and a return to the University of Minnesota for Cory, where he skated in the early 90s.
Laylin said the draft only sharpened his drive as he heads into another important season.
“I took a little break, but now we're getting back into (skating), especially before this camp and after,” Laylin said of his summer regimen.
“So excited, (I’ve) got to build for this upcoming season, which will be big.”
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