Landon DuPont is no stranger to pressure and the inner drive required to overcome formidable challenges. Moving to the NCAA as a 17-year-old freshman is a task very few hockey players can handle, but DuPont has proven time and again that he is thoroughly prepared for whatever obstacles come his way.
Two years ago, DuPont made history by becoming the first defenseman to ever earn exceptional status to play in the Western Hockey League at just 15 years old. Now, a remarkably similar challenge awaits the young phenom. DuPont, widely regarded by scouts and analysts as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NHL draft, is taking his exceptional talents to the University of Michigan in the NCAA. There, he will regularly compete against collegiate players who could be up to six years older, significantly stronger, and vastly more experienced than him.
The transition from the Canadian Hockey League to collegiate hockey is rarely simple, but DuPont views it as a necessary evolution for his game. "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."
The pace and physicality of college hockey are elements that DuPont actively sought out. He recognizes that surrounding himself with elite talent and older competition is the fastest way to accelerate his development. "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 Michael Hage," he added, referring to the Montreal Canadiens prospect.
DuPont arrives in Ann Arbor carrying a glittering resume from his time with the Everett Silvertips in the WHL. During the 2024-25 season, he led all league rookies with an incredible 60 points. Overall, he tied for fourth among all defensemen in the league with 73 points in 63 games. Along the way, his offensive brilliance and poise on the blue line helped lead the Silvertips to a WHL Championship and a coveted berth in the prestigious Memorial Cup tournament.
Reflecting on his historic entrance into the WHL at 15, DuPont points to the steep learning curve he faced when matching up against fully grown adults. "I think the biggest thing for me was just adjusting to the speed and physicality," DuPont said. "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."
That transition was historic in every sense of the word. By eclipsing the 70-point mark, DuPont broke the longstanding historical record previously set by Scott Niedermayer for the most points scored by a 16-year-old defenseman in the WHL. Naturally, such an explosive offensive output has led to lofty comparisons. The Calgary native is an intensely offensive-minded defenseman who is frequently cut from the same stylistic mold as modern NHL superstars like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes.
While his offensive instincts draw immediate comparisons to elite puck-moving rearguards, DuPont is also studying the defensive side of the puck by watching some of the game’s premier shutdown specialists. "Yeah, I just like to watch them a lot and take things out of their game," said DuPont, discussing his habits of studying elite NHL defensemen. "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."
Those close observations and continuous adjustments will be put under a massive microscope now that DuPont is entering his official draft year. Scouts and talent evaluators from across the National Hockey League are set to scrutinize his every shift, every decision, and every performance like never before.
However, holding the consensus top spot in early draft rankings in September is no guarantee that a player will ultimately hear his name called first overall the following June. There is an entire season of high-stakes hockey still to be played. For scouts—who have universally fallen in love with DuPont’s elite skating ability, his uncanny knack for escaping pressure in his own zone, and his dynamic offensive creation whenever he steps onto the ice—the immediate test will be evaluating how seamlessly he makes the jump from the WHL to the rigorous environment of college hockey.
Carrying the heavy burden of being the projected first-overall selection is a daunting mental test, especially with more than ten months remaining until the 2027 NHL Draft takes place. Yet, for a player who has spent the last two years living directly under the intense public microscope that accompanied his exceptional status designation, the weight of expectations is nothing new. He refuses to shy away from the spotlight.
Fortunately for DuPont, he has an invaluable mentor in his corner who understands the unique pressures of elite professional hockey. His father, Micki DuPont, was an NHL draft pick himself and possesses firsthand experience navigating the grueling landscape of professional sports. Micki played 23 games in the NHL for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, and St. Louis Blues, in addition to enjoying a successful 14-year professional career playing hockey overseas in Europe.
The senior DuPont has made it his primary mission to ensure his son keeps the pressures of the scouting circus in proper perspective. "The biggest thing he preaches to me is just to have fun with it," DuPont said of his father’s advice. "You only get to be in your draft year one time, so don’t put any extra pressure on yourself and just go to the rink every day and try to have fun and spend time with your teammates."
As the University of Michigan season gets underway and the hockey world turns its collective gaze toward Ann Arbor, Landon DuPont is focused on keeping things simple. With his father’s guidance ringing in his ears, his primary objective is clear: keeping the game fun because a player’s draft year can easily become overwhelming if the noise gets too loud.