Bode Laylin comes from a hockey family, through and through.
The Flames sixth-round pick has two older hockey-playing brothers - one in the German pro ranks, the other in the NCAA - while his father, Cory, is set to begin his first season as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota this fall.
The Golden Gophers’ campus is a hop, skip and a jump from the Laylin home in St. Michael, Minn., and that’s where the 18-year-old and his family were stationed during NHL Draft weekend.
“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.”
Less than 48 hours later, Laylin found himself on a plane to Calgary to take in his first pro development camp. And the young defenceman fit right in, capping off his week with a multi-point effort in the Snowy Cup that included a sweet shootout goal and a primary assist on a Cole Reschny tap-in.
That trip out West is a prelude to what Laylin’s 2026-27 will be like, too. After spending two full seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, the blueliner signed with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips in May, right around the time the Washington-based club was preparing to compete in the 2026 Memorial Cup.
“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’s had a hankering for turning out defencemen of late, too. Flames prospect Eric Jamieson is a former Silvertips captain, while Calgarian Landon DuPont, a top prospect for the 2027 Draft, turned heads at the program before committing to the University of Michigan last month.
Laylin describes himself as a 200-foot defenceman, but his USHL numbers prove, too, that he’s got a bit of pop to his game. He doubled his point total year over year, collecting 11 goals and 38 points at Tri-City this past winter.
Laylin’s two older brothers spent time out West, too. Both Luc and Casy played in the BCHL before going to play with their Dad at the University of St. Thomas.
For Bode, Cory has been more than a father figure, too. He’s served as a coach and a mentor; someone to talk shop with while also allowing the newest Flames prospect to chart his own path.
“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.”
Before entering the coaching ranks, Cory enjoyed a 16-year pro career, too, one that took him everywhere from Slovenia to San Diego. The Laylins lived in Italy for a time, too, while he was a coach there.
Back in Minnesota, the focus now is on what lies ahead. For Bode, a new league, for Dad, a return to the college program that he skated with in the early 90s.
Being drafted only added extra motivation for Bode, though. A big step forward, toward a big year ahead.
“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.”
