While the 2027 NHL Draft is still over a year away, there is already a consensus for who will be picked first overall. Defenceman Landon DuPont has dominated the WHL over the last two seasons with the Everett Silvertips and is considered one of the best defensive prospects of the last decade. With the Vancouver Canucks projected to be a lottery team next year, fans and media in the market are already discussing the potential of drafting DuPont. In an interview on Donnie and Dhali [https://www.youtube.com/@donnieanddhali], DuPont spoke about being a Canucks fan growing up. According to the 16-year-old, he started cheering for Vancouver because of his older brother Nolan's love for the team. In his answer, DuPont also listed a current Canucks defenceman as his favourite player. "My favourite player, Zeev Buium, got traded there," said DuPont. "So me and my brother were pretty pumped about that." DuPont was then asked about what he likes about Buium's game and said, "He's just so crafty and smart. He's not the biggest guy, and neither am I, but the way he makes plays happen out of nothing. And the way he uses his feet and hands to open up plays for his teammates was the biggest thing that attracted me." This season, DuPont finished the regular season with 73 points in 63 games. As for the playoffs, the right-shot defender has 17 points, and has helped Everett to a 12-1 record. DuPont was nominated this year for WHL Defenceman of the Year and was the CHL's Rookie of the Year in 2024-25. Up next for DuPont is the 2026 WHL Final [http://thn.com/whl]. His Silvertips will be taking on Braeden Cootes and the Prince Albert Raiders, with the series beginning on Friday. The winner of the WHL Final will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup, which will take place in Kelowna. Landon DuPont of the Everett Silvertips (Photo Credit: Evan Morud/Everett Silvertips/WHL) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/3a54fdba-1685-44c1-ab60-d0bbe8bbed38.jpeg] Landon DuPont of the Everett Silvertips (Photo Credit: Evan Morud/Everett Silvertips/WHL) Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: Canucks Prospects Cootes & Chiarot Advance To League Finals In The CHL [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/cootes-chiarot-advance-to-league-finals-in-the-chl] Sweden Goes Undefeated, Czechia Finishes Second: Canucks At The 2026 Fortuna Hockey Games [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/sweden-goes-undefeated-czechia-finishes-second-canucks-at-the-2026-fortuna-hockey-games] Former Canuck & Hall-Of-Famer To Take On Management Role With The Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/former-canuck-hall-of-famer-to-take-on-management-role-with-the-maple-leafs] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*twovkp*_ga*MTk0NDM0Mzk0OS4xNzQ2MjQ0ODA2*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjEyNTE0MDEkbzU3MCRnMSR0MTc2MTI1MjA1MyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ac699f39-ebc6-4194-98f9-832b50bba771.jpeg]
