Huff, Laylin, Willson Named Defenseman of the Year Finalists
Published on April 14, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Hawke Huff (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders), Bode Laylin (Tri-City Storm), and Jack Willson (Youngstown Phantoms) have been named finalists for United States Hockey League (USHL) Defenseman of the Year, the league announced Tuesday.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 21. The finalists were nominated and voted upon by team general managers.
Jack Willson, D, Youngstown Phantoms
Willson finished second in scoring among USHL defenseman with 12 goals and 35 assists through 57 games with the Phantoms. The Alaska Fairbanks commit and Northville, Mich. native's 47 points in a single season eclipsed his point totals from the past three years combined, helping Youngstown to an Anderson Cup-winning campaign. His 27 points on the power play tied for first among blueliners across the league and helped the Phantoms to the second-best power play in the USHL, converting at 27.6%. Willson finished the season with a +6 rating and a pair of game-winning goals.
Hawke Huff, D, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Huff's defensive play and offensive contributions were key pieces of Cedar Rapids' game this season. Playing in 61 games, Huff finished sixth in scoring among USHL defensemen with three goals and 36 assists. Of his 39 points, 15 came on the man advantage. The Wayzata, Minn. native and St. Thomas commit led RoughRiders blueliners with a +17 rating in his third USHL season, but first with more than 35 games played.
Bode Laylin, D, Tri-City Storm
Ranked 103rd among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings, Laylin tallied 11 goals and 27 assists for the Storm in his second full USHL season. The St. Thomas commit and St. Michael, Minn. native more than doubled his offensive production from last season, finishing with 38 points, which ranked second on the Storm, and 119 shots, leading Tri-City and finishing with the fourth-most among USHL defensemen.
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and nine of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).
Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).
United States Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2026
- Huff, Laylin, Willson Named Defenseman of the Year Finalists - USHL
- Tri-City's Laylin Is Finalist for USHL Defenseman of the Year Award - Tri-City Storm
- Fighting Saints Announce "Red Out" for Games 1 and 2 vs Muskegon - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Lancers Sign Dodig to Tender Agreement - Omaha Lancers
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