#4

Layton Ahac

Defenseman

Player profile

  • Year Freshman
  • Height 6-2
  • Weight 195
  • Hometown North Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Junior team Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL)

NHL

  • Signed three-year, entry-level contract with NHL Vegas in March 2021 that starts in 2021-22 season; also signed AHL contract with Henderson Silver Knights for remainder of 2021 campaign
  • Selected by the Golden Knights in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (No. 86 overall)
  • Attended the team’s development camp in Summer 2019

Ohio State Career

  • Voted team’s Best Defensive Player in 2021
  • An Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten selection

2020-21 (Sophomore Season)

  • Best Defensive Player award winner, selected by his teammates
  • Played in all 27 games, with 1-8-9 totals
  • 44 shot blocks to rank second on the team; eighth in the B1G in blocks overall and sixth in blocks per game (1.63)
  • Five-game point streak (1g, 5a, 6p) Dec. 17-Jan. 16
  • Five shot blocks at Wisconsin Feb. 26
  • Four shot blocks in three games and three in three others; Seven shot blocks in series at Michigan Jan. 15-16, with four in game two; helper in game one vs. the Wolverines
  • Two assists against Michigan Feb. 19
  • Three assists in series vs. Penn State Jan. 8-9; first career multiple-point game in opener, with +3 mark and three blocked shots
  • Scored first career goal Dec. 18 vs. Arizona State on the power play; had an assist in game one vs. the Sun Devils Dec. 17
  • 17 shot blocks to rank second on the team, with four vs. Michigan State Nov. 29 and Arizona State Dec. 17 and three against ASU Dec. 18
  • Assist Dec. 3 vs. Wisconsin
  • An Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten pick

2019-20 (Freshman Season)

  • Skated in all 36 games
  • Tied for second on team with +10 rating, with just six games with a minus rating
  • Shared plus/minus lead among all B1G freshmen, ranked third among all Big Ten blueliners and was 11th among NCAA rookie defensemen
  • +1 or better in 14 outings
  • Career-best +3 vs. Wisconsin March 6
  •  Posted 26 total blocks; Three shot blocks in four games (vs. Michigan State Dec. 1, at Wisconsin Jan. 11, at Michigan Jan. 31, at Michigan State Feb. 21), with two in five other games
  • Assist vs. Wisconsin Feb. 28; two shot blocks in each game vs. the Badgers Feb. 28-29
  • Assist at Mercyhurst Oct. 26 was first career point
  • Helper on Tanner Laczynski goal at Penn State Nov. 23 that was an NCAA Play of the Week
  • Made collegiate debut Oct. 11 vs. Western Michigan
  • An Ohio State Scholar-Athlete

 Prior to Ohio State

  • Spent two years with the Spruce Kings in the BCHL
  • Second Team All-BCHL selection and finalist for BCHL Defenseman of the Year in 2019
  • Posted 32 points, with four goals and 28 assists, in 53 regular season games in 2018-19 while serving as an assistant captain
  • Averaged a point per game through 17 postseason contests (5g, 12a) as squad won BCHL championship and claimed the Doyle Cup
  • 2018 BCHL All-Rookie Team honoree
  • Recorded 6-22-28 line in 57 regular season games in 2017-18
  • Squad lost in Fred Page Cup final, posted 1-4-5 line while playing in all 24 playoff games in 2018
  • Played for Canada West at World Junior A Challenge
  • Played for West Vancouver Hockey Academy Elite 15 team and was a captain for the squad
  • Graduated from Handsworth Secondary in 2019
  • Also played football, soccer, ultimate, baseball, volleyball and basketball

Personal

  • Son of Alan Ahac, the director of international events for Volleyball Canada, and Karen Koziki, a transportation specialist
  • Has an older sister, Danika, a women’s volleyball student-athlete at Queens University
  • Grandfather, Zane Ahac, was a world-class rower and Ahac says “has shaped me into who I am today. His life lessons and passion for sports were engraved in me.”
  • Plans on majoring in business and aspires to have his own business one day, also interested in sports management
  • Enjoys fishing, golfing and hanging out with friends
  • Started playing hockey at 5 years old after seeing his dad watch Canucks games on TV
  • Favorite hockey player is Drew Doughty, because “he competes hard and plays with an edge”
  • Pick One: Best thing about hockey – the camaraderie; Movie – Step Brothers; TV Show – Friday Night Lights; Musician – G-Eazy; Athlete – Tom Brady, Meal – Mom’s spaghetti carbonara; Celebrity – Will Ferrell; Snack Food – Sweet Chili Heat Doritos; Ice Cream Flavor – cookies and cream; Sport other than Hockey – Golf; Vacation Spot – Hawaii; Rink – Rolling Mix Concrete Rink; Book – The Hunger Games

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