Landon DuPont is no stranger to pressure and the will needed to overcome challenges. Heading to the NCAA as a 17-year-old freshman is a task few can handle, but DuPont is prepared for whatever comes his way.
Two years ago, Landon DuPont made history as the first defenseman to earn exceptional status and play in the Western Hockey League at 15.
Now, a similar challenge awaits.
DuPont, whom most believe will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NHL draft, will take his young talents to the University of Michigan in the NCAA, where he'll compete against players who could be six years older than him.
“Yeah, it’s going to be a big jump for sure,” DuPont said in an interview with TheHockeyNews.com. “Obviously, college is a big, heavy game, and they play with high pace, and that’s why I wanted to come here.
"I wanted to push myself and learn from my teammates, and even being here these past few weeks, everyone’s been pushing each other in practice, and you’re going up against guys like (Montreal Canadiens prospect) Michael Hage."
Dupont, who led all rookies with 60 points in 2024-25, tied for fourth among defensemen with 73 points in 63 games in Everett last season. In the process, he led the Silvertips to a WHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup.
“I think the biggest thing for me was just adjusting to the speed and physicality,” DuPont said of his time in the WHL. “Obviously, those 19- and 20-year-olds are a lot bigger, and you’re just a young kid, and you’re a lot smaller than everyone, and just learning from my teammates and the older guys and the coaches. They helped a lot…whenever I needed advice (in my transition).”
As evident by his points, DuPont broke the record set by Scott Niedermayer for most points as a 16-year-old defenseman in the WHL; the Calgary native is an offensive-minded defenseman who is cut from the same mold as Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes.
“Yeah, I just like to watch them a lot and take things out of their game,” said DuPont. “But I also like watching guys like Jake Sanderson and Jaccob Slavin, because they have really good sticks and they play hard in the D-zone. So, it’s pretty cool just watching them every night and being able to take some of their game and implement it into mine.”
Don't expect the comparisons to stop. Now that DuPont is entering his draft year, scouts will scrutinize his game like never before.
Just because DuPont is the consensus No. 1 overall pick in September doesn't mean he'll be picked first in June.
There's a lot of hockey still to be played. And for scouts, who love DuPont's ability to skate the puck out of trouble and generate offense whenever he's on the ice, the next thing to evaluate is how seamlessly he can transition from the WHL to the NCAA.
Being under the microscope as a projected first-overall pick is undoubtedly a heavy burden to bear with over ten months to go until the 2027 draft. But for Dupont, who has lived under the weight of expectations when he gained exceptional status, it's not something he's shying away from. It, of course, helps that his father, Micki, a former NHL draft pick, has lived through the highs and lows of playing professionally.
“The biggest thing he preaches to me is just to have fun with it,” DuPont said of his father, who played 23 NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues and spent another 14 years in Europe. “You only get to be in your draft year one time, so don’t put any extra pressure on yourself and just go to rink every day and try to have fun and spend time with your teammates.
"He wants to make sure hockey’s always fun (since) draft year can get pretty stressful.”
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/freeSee more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
