Calgary Flames prospect Bode Laylin has made his college decision, and it points him to Minnesota.
The 18-year-old defenceman announced Thursday that he has committed to the University of Minnesota for the 2027-28 season. Laylin had previously been committed to the University of St. Thomas before changing course.
Laylin’s path to that future still includes one stop in the WHL. Everett announced in May that he would join the Silvertips for the 2026-27 season before moving on to the NCAA the next year, and that plan remains in place.
He is expected to begin his lone season with Everett on Sept. 19, when the Silvertips host the Portland Winterhawks at Angel of the Winds Arena. Laylin also skated in Everett’s “Green vs.
Grey” exhibition game this past weekend.
The move to Minnesota lines up with a family shift that happened earlier this year. Laylin’s father, Cory, also changed schools after previously spending five seasons as an assistant coach at St.
Thomas. Starting in 2026-27, Cory Laylin will hold the same role at Minnesota, where he played from 1988 to 1992.
St. Thomas had been a family stop for the Laylins in recent years.
Cory coached Bode’s brothers, Casy and Luc, there as well, but both have since moved on. Casy is headed to Western Michigan, while Luc is off to play professionally in Germany.
Laylin’s on-ice résumé continues to grow, too. He put up 11 goals and 38 points in 55 games with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm in 2025-26, then added a goal and an assist in two playoff games. Calgary took the 5-foot-11 right-shot defender in the sixth round, No. 164 overall, in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Flames used only two picks on defencemen in that draft class, selecting Laylin and first-rounder Carson Carels to help the blue line. Both players were at Calgary’s annual prospect development camp at WinSport earlier in the offseason.
A native of St. Michael, Minn., Laylin spent two seasons at Northstar Christian Academy in Alexandria before joining Tri-City late in 2023-24. He went on to play two full seasons with the Storm, finishing with 13 goals and 57 points in 123 career USHL games.
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