2027 NHL Draft lookahead: DuPont of Everett projected as No. 1 pick

BUFFALO -- Landon DuPont of Everett in the Western Hockey League is projected to be the next great franchise-defining piece on defense for the NHL club holding the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

"When you see what Landon DuPont has done in his first two years in the WHL, he would have to be considered for the No. 1 spot," NHL Central Scouting associate director David Gregory said. "He's been able to process the game at an elite level from a very young age. Very few prospects can do this, playing against bigger, stronger and older opponents. He combines this with elite skating ability and excellent edges. He can make a play from anywhere on the ice. The growth in his second season has allowed him to be more physical and engage in battles which suggest that as he moves up levels, this is going to continue."

DuPont (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), born in Calgary, Alberta, was the second player and first defender to be granted exceptional status to compete in the WHL as a 15-year-old, following Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard in 2020. DuPont was selected No. 1 by Everett in the 2024 WHL Draft.

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 allowed DuPont to play the entire season in 2024-25, when he was named the WHL rookie of the year and became the first WHL rookie defenseman to reach 50 points in a season (60 points; 17 goals, 43 assists) since Hockey Hall of Famer and Kamloops legend Scott Niedermayer in 1989-90 (69 points).

"As of today, DuPont would be my top guy for 2027 in the West," said Central Scouting's senior western scout John Williams. "What's been so impressive with Landon is how his game has evolved since last year. When he came into the league, he was surrounded by a very deep and mature defense corps, so he was free to play a more offensive style of game. This year, he's the No. 1 guy playing against top lines, 5-on-5, top penalty kill and power play."

The 17-year-old right-handed shot finished tied for fourth among WHL defensemen with 73 points (18 goals, 55 assists), was tied for third with six game-winning goals and ranked third with a plus-59 rating in 63 regular-season games in 2025-26. He tied for fourth among all skaters in WHL playoff scoring with 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 18 games.

He will continue his career at the University of Michigan in 2026-27.

In addition to DuPont, there are other players in line to be chosen near the top of the 2027 draft.

Alexis Joseph (6-4, 207), a left-shot center from Saint John in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, was second on the Sea Dogs with 60 points (24 goals, 36 assists) and first in points per game (1.11) in 54 regular-season games. He also was 50.1 percent on face-offs (385-for-769).

"He's that big centerman that can do it all and is a really good skater," NHL Central Scouting's senior eastern scout Jean-Francois Damphousse said. "He attacks the net with strength for a 16-year-old. To play that power game is not an easy thing and he's done it. He was arguably the best player at the Under-17 World Challenge.

"I do think he's definitely a high-end prospect for next season."

Joseph had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in five games while serving as captain for gold medal-winning Canada Red at the U-17 Worlds from Nov. 2-8, 2025.

Dimian Zhilkin (5-10, 183), a right wing with Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League, was third on the Spirit with 75 points (36 goals, 39 assists) in 59 games. He also served as captain. His brother, Danil Zhilkin, was chosen in the third round (No. 77) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft. He's currently with Manitoba of the American Hockey League after recording one assist in six games for the Jets this season.

"Dimian is a beast and the captain for a reason," said Nick Smith of NHL Central Scouting. "He plays the right way and is a really hard worker on and off the ice. I was chatting with Saginaw's assistant general manager about him, and he was telling me how hard it is to even get him off the ice or to take a day off.

"He has game-breaking type skills with really good sense, but what sets him apart is that compete. He's a dog on a bone and gets in the trenches."

Zhilkin had a team-leading seven points (five goals, two assists) and averaged 17:03 of ice time in five games for sixth-place Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

"He's the real deal," Canada's U-18 coach Drew Bannister said. "He's a coach's dream with the way he plays both sides of the puck. He's very refined already for his age and has outstanding leadership qualities. For as skilled as he is, he's extremely competitive, goes to the hard areas and has an elite release and shot. He can beat you off the rush, but he scores from the inside too."

Other top prospects in high demand could be center Milan Sundstrom (6-2, 187) of MoDo Jr. in Sweden's junior division, left wing Nazar Privalov (6-4, 214) of CSKA Jr. in Russia's junior division, and center Max Calce (5-11, 192) of Mannheim in Germany's top division.

Sundstrom, 17, the son of former NHL forward and current San Jose Sharks European scout Niklas Sundstrom, had 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 16 games with MoDo's Under-18 team, and 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 12 games with MoDo's Under-20 club.

"Sundstrom is a big, smart, and skilled forward who can score goals or set up chances for his teammates," NHL director of European Scouting Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen said. "A real monster."

Privalov had 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in nine games for CSKA's Under-17 team and 49 points (30 goals, 19 assists) in 51 games in his first season in Russia's minor league.

Calce had two goals in 14 games with Mannheim this season. He also had four points (two goals, two assists) and averaged 19:27 of ice time in five games for Germany at the Under-18 Worlds.