Standout Defenseman Landon DuPont Is The Real Deal – Hockey Writers – NHL Prospects

When defenseman Landon DuPont was granted special status by the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) last spring, it was a big deal. Not only did he become the third defenseman granted a waiver, but he was the second player to receive it in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Despite the youngster’s incredible opportunity, following the former receiver, Connor Bedard, was going to be a tall order.

However, DuPont proves that CHL made the right call. Despite being the youngest player in the WHL, the 15-year-old defenseman leads all rookies with 16 points in 11 games and is tied for fourth with four goals. The Everett Silvertips are a strong team this season, with the playable Carter Bear leading the way in scoring and NHL prospects Julius Miettinen, Tarin Smith, Kaden Hammell, and Eric Jamieson, but he still sits second behind the Bears and still looks out of place. alongside the best players in the league.

DuPont has the impact everyone hoped he would have and there’s little question he’ll be a front-runner for the 2027 NHL Entry Draft, but how does that compare to players who have achieved elite status in the past? By looking at those who came before him, there is a good chance that we can see how much of an impact he will have in the future.

DuPont’s first WHL games

DuPont wasted no time getting on the score sheet, registering an assist in his WHL debut against the Vancouver Giants. He also had four shots on goal, leading all defensemen on the ice, and his plus-2 was the highest of any Silvertips defenseman. In the next game, he doubled his offensive output with two assists as Everett beat the Portland Winterhawks 8-2, and in his third game, he added another and helped them lead the Silvertips with seven shots.

It was only a matter of time before DuPont scored his first goal, and in his fifth game, that moment finally arrived. On a scrambling play midway through the second half, the rookie linebacker intercepted a deflected pass by Julien Maze, who was trying to create space as the Prince Albert Raiders tried to establish defensive positions. DuPont took advantage of the confusion and easily put the puck away by goaltender Max Hildebrand. After two games, he recorded his first two-goal game, and the next day, he had his first three-point night. It wasn’t until the Silvertips faced the Moose Jaw Warriors on October 11 that his scoring streak broke, but by then, he had a solid hold on the league’s rookie lead.

With Everett in the American Division, most of the teams in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will only get one chance at the standout defender this season, but he has been seen quickly everywhere he has played. “Special talent,” Saskatoon Blades head coach Dan DaSilva said following the Blades’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Silvertips on Oct. 5. “To play in this league at the age of 15, you have to be a very special player. Look at him first, he looked beautiful, calm there. He looked like he was 20 years old, so he’s going to be a special player and it was neat to see him up front.”

Special Status Does Not Guarantee Success

A unique situation clause was created in 2005 when it was painfully obvious that 15-year-old John Tavares was too good for the Ontario U16 circuit. In 72 games in 2004-05, the 2009 draft pick ended up with 91 goals and 158 points, prompting Tavares to petition the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to amend their 16-year-old draft rule. . . The request partially worked; while most 15-year-olds were ineligible, the CHL introduced an exception for players deemed “special.”

Since then, eight players other than DuPont have been allowed to play out their age 15 seasons in the minor leagues. Of those eight, only two are defenders, and they wouldn’t have had a different experience. Aaron Ekblad, who was drafted in 2011, excelled for the Barrie Colts, becoming the top linebacker and first-round pick in 2014. Sean Day, given the situation two seasons later, struggled to adjust to the OHL. He looked better in his second season with the Mississauga Steelheads, but regressed in his draft season, which saw him fall to the third round of the 2016 Draft. He was eventually traded to the Windsor Spitfires in 2017 and then to the Kingston Frontenacs one season later before turning pro, but never made the NHL.

Aside from Day, only two other players were not selected first overall in their NHL Draft year. Joe Veleno was the first player from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (now called the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League) to be given special status, and although he was a solid producer for the Saint John Sea Dogs, he was not at the top and dropped to 30th overall. in the 2018 Draft. Shane Wright also missed out on going first overall, dropping to fourth in 2022, likely due to the OHL canceling the entire 2020-21 season due to COVID-19. He was one of the league’s most productive players in his draft year, but the three prospects that went ahead of him in the draft played in 2020-21. Michael Misa can also join this group. He’s been incredibly productive, but the 2025 draft class has several players slated to go ahead of him.

DuPont Youth Jobs Project

Although there hasn’t been a defender in a special position since Day, it’s still possible to use previous examples to help improve his young career. We’ll start with Day, which is probably the worst case scenario. Like DuPont, he got off to a good start, recording assists in his first two games, but then hit his stride, recording one assist in his six outings. He broke the slide with his first OHL goal, but the rest of the season went the same way – a flurry of bad luck followed by a long drought. He finished his first season with just six goals and 16 points in 60 games. Combined with Day’s rookie production, there’s no danger of DuPont facing similar struggles.

Ekblad compares much better, but still not perfect. The current captain of the Florida Panthers had a lot of energy in the juniors and looks much older than he is on the ice. DuPont has also been described as mature for his years, and his calm demeanor allows him to succeed where others might stumble. However, the main difference is that Ekblad was a two-point force and did not exceed a point per game in the OHL, while DuPont played an offensive style and averaged 27 goals and 88 points. That level of production is close to Doug Bodger, who put up 26 goals and 92 points in 72 games with the Kamloops Junior Oilers as a 16-year-old in 1982-83. He went on to go ninth overall in the 1984 Draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jim Benning also had an incredible 16-year season with 71 points in 71 games before going sixth overall in the 1981 Draft.

Related: 2025 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Early Top 50

Thus, it may be easy to compare DuPont with some of the great players who came before him. Bedard, the only other WHL player granted special status, had his rookie season cut short due to the pandemic, but when he returned, he produced 127 points. Connor McDavid finished surprisingly below that, putting up just 66 points in 63 games at age 15. The following season, he had 99 points in just 56 games. Given DuPont’s current pace, he’s likely following a similar pattern, slowing down as the season goes on but finishing with a point per game, then breaking out as a sophomore in 2025-26.

It is fitting, however, that DuPont joins an excellent Silvertips team. After 11 games, Everett sits in first place in the Western Conference with just two losses so far. DuPont can thank the Kamloops Blazers, who traded their next four first-round picks to Everett along with four players and six other picks for Olen Zellweger and Ryan Hofer in preparation for hosting the 2023 Memorial Cup. Little did the Blazers know that their 2024 first-round pick would end up going first overall, costing them the chance to become a generational defenseman. While it is common for position players to play in the playoffs, it is rare for one to join a deep team.

All things considered, DuPont has a rare opportunity to set a new standard for high-end players. There is no question that there has never been a player like him, and fans will be lucky to see him become a young star over the next three seasons. He already proved that he was worthy of the honor with his draft selection. Now he has to keep going.

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