University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Hockey
Cory Laylin
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Cory Laylin joined the Minnesota men's hockey staff in March 2026, taking over as an assistant coach at his alma mater. He returns to campus after serving in an assistant coaching role at St. Thomas for the past five seasons.
A native of St. Cloud, Minn., he enjoyed a standout career for the Golden Gophers from 1988-92 where he posted 107 points on 58 goals and 49 assists across 170 career appearances, reaching the NCAA Tournament all four seasons. As a freshman, Minnesota lost to Harvard in overtime in the national championship game. He went on to play 16 professional seasons throughout Europe and North America until retiring in 2007-08.
Following his playing career, Laylin served as an assistant coach at Hamline University for two seasons (2008-10). He went on to become a head coach at the high school, college, juniors, pro and international levels over the next 11 years, including seven seasons leading the Pipers from 2014 to 2021.
Laylin then joined the Tommies for their inaugural NCAA Division I campaign in 2021-22. That St. Thomas squad finished with just three wins before improving to 11 wins the next year and defeated all seven CCHA opponents at least once during the 2022-23 campaign. Under his efforts with head coach Rico Blasi, the Tommies increased their win total each of the last three seasons. That led to their first-ever 20-win campaign in 2025-26, going 21-12-5 overall, finishing second in the CCHA regular season before falling in the CCHA title game.
At the international level from 2015-18, he coached with USA Hockey across a variety of events. He was the head coach at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup after being a Team USA assistant coach at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Laylin also served as the head coach for the American's U17 team that won a gold medal during the 2016 Five Nations Cup following being an assistant coach for a group that also won the event in 2015.
A graduate of St. Cloud Apollo High School, Laylin was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 11th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. In addition to his ice hockey resume, Laylin played four seasons of professional roller hockey for the Minnesota Arctic Blast, San Jose Rhinos, and Minnesota Blue Ox.
A native of St. Cloud, Minn., he enjoyed a standout career for the Golden Gophers from 1988-92 where he posted 107 points on 58 goals and 49 assists across 170 career appearances, reaching the NCAA Tournament all four seasons. As a freshman, Minnesota lost to Harvard in overtime in the national championship game. He went on to play 16 professional seasons throughout Europe and North America until retiring in 2007-08.
Following his playing career, Laylin served as an assistant coach at Hamline University for two seasons (2008-10). He went on to become a head coach at the high school, college, juniors, pro and international levels over the next 11 years, including seven seasons leading the Pipers from 2014 to 2021.
Laylin then joined the Tommies for their inaugural NCAA Division I campaign in 2021-22. That St. Thomas squad finished with just three wins before improving to 11 wins the next year and defeated all seven CCHA opponents at least once during the 2022-23 campaign. Under his efforts with head coach Rico Blasi, the Tommies increased their win total each of the last three seasons. That led to their first-ever 20-win campaign in 2025-26, going 21-12-5 overall, finishing second in the CCHA regular season before falling in the CCHA title game.
At the international level from 2015-18, he coached with USA Hockey across a variety of events. He was the head coach at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup after being a Team USA assistant coach at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Laylin also served as the head coach for the American's U17 team that won a gold medal during the 2016 Five Nations Cup following being an assistant coach for a group that also won the event in 2015.
A graduate of St. Cloud Apollo High School, Laylin was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 11th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. In addition to his ice hockey resume, Laylin played four seasons of professional roller hockey for the Minnesota Arctic Blast, San Jose Rhinos, and Minnesota Blue Ox.
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