DuPont to play in Western Hockey League next season as 15-year-old

CALGARY -- Landon DuPont is eligible to play all of next season in the Western Hockey League as a 15-year-old after he was granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada on Monday.

The 14-year-old defenseman from Edge School Prep's Under-18 team joins Chicago Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick from the 2023 NHL Draft, as the only other player granted exceptional status into the WHL.

Players are drafted into the WHL at age 15 but can play a maximum of five games in the league at that age until their club team's season has ended. The exception will allow DuPont to play the entire season in the league in 2024-25.

DuPont is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

"My head was a blur," he told NHL.com. "I could just think of all the memories I've had throughout hockey so far. It's truly crazy to see how far hockey can really take you. It's only the start and I've got so much work to put in. It's going to be exciting."

DuPont is the ninth player to receive exceptional player status, joining Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (2005), Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (2011), Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (2012), Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Sean Day (2013), Detroit Red Wings forward Joe Veleno (2015), Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright (2019), Bedard (2020), and forward Michael Misa (2022), who is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Tavares, Ekblad, McDavid, Day and Wright were all granted exceptional status into the Ontario Hockey League, and Veleno is the sole player to date to be granted exceptional status into the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

"Hey Landon, just wanted to say congratulations on getting exceptional status," Bedard said in a personalized video message to DuPont. "You should be super proud of yourself. It's a huge honor. Your time in the WHL is going to be some of the best in your life. I'm super excited to follow you and hopefully play against you soon. Congratulations."

The review process to determine exceptional player status was administered by Hockey Alberta with a Hockey Canada Special Evaluation Panel, which reviewed DuPont's hockey and academic documentation and assessed DuPont's level of maturity.

DuPont could be selected by Everett with the No. 1 pick of the WHL Prospects Draft on May 9. Everett received the pick from Kamloops, which finished last in the league standings (20-42-6), ahead of the WHL Trade Deadline last season.

"It means a lot, for sure," said DuPont, who turns 15 on May 28. "Those guys have done so much for hockey and young kids out there. To be associated with those guys is pretty unreal. To be looked at that way is just crazy too.

“It hasn't sunk in at all. I've been having a hard time taking it all in. It's just been crazy for me. I'm sure once it sinks in it'll be like, 'Whoa, this is all happening.’"

DuPont (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) set a Canadian Sports School Hockey League U18 Prep single-season scoring record for defensemen with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in 30 games. He had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in five playoff games, tying the CSSHL U18 Championship scoring record held by Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther in 2018-19. DuPont earned CSSHL U18 Prep Championship MVP award, and Edge won the CSSHL U18 title.

"I never really thought about exceptional status until a few months ago," DuPont said. "I never thought that it would happen for me. Obviously my U18 year, our team took off and took it to a whole other step.

“I felt like I took it to another step from last year, and that's when I thought I had a chance at this and this could really happen. When it did happen, I was like, 'Whoa, what's happening right now?'"

DuPont’s father, Micki DuPont, was selected by the Calgary Flames in the ninth round (No. 270) of the 2000 NHL Draft. He played 23 games as a defenseman during parts of four seasons with the Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues between 2002 and 2008.