DuPont could be 1st pick in 2027 NHL Draft, scouts say

MONTREAL -- While it might be difficult at this stage predicting which underage player is deserving of the top selection in the 2027 NHL Draft, it's safe to assume defenseman Landon DuPont will be among the favorites.

The 16-year-old right-handed shot has 133 points (35 goals, 98 assists) in 127 regular-season games over two seasons with Everett of the Western Hockey League.

"When you see what Landon DuPont has done in his first two years in the WHL, he would have to be considered for the number one 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, 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).

DuPont might not be eligible for the draft until 2027, but that didn't stop NHL.com from gathering thoughts from several evaluators on the standout blueliner during Central Scouting's meetings this week to determine the final rankings of the top North American skaters and goalies eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.

"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 number one guy playing against top lines, 5-on-5, top penalty kill and power play."

DuPont had 73 points (18 goals, 55 assists), six game-winning goals and a plus-59 rating in 63 regular-season games this season. He has six points (two goals, four assists) in four WHL playoff games.

Everett will play Kelowna in the second round of the WHL Playoffs. Game 1 of the best-of-7 series is Friday. 

"Landon's production has gone up to over a point a game while also being one of the top-plus players in the league," Williams said. "Watching him, you forget that he's 16. His game has really matured, and he has learned to pick his spots better. There are very few players that can pass the puck and sort their options as well as he does at any age."

DuPont is the ninth player to receive exceptional player status into the Canadian Hockey League, joining John Tavares (2005), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor McDavid (2012), Sean Day (2013), Joe Veleno (2015), Shane Wright (2019), Bedard, and Michael Misa (2022).

Tavares, Ekblad, McDavid, Day, Wright and Misa 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.

"For me, Dupont is right up there with the top draft picks in North America for next year's draft, if not at the very top," Central Scouting's Tim Campbell said. "He's a unique defenseman with a rare combination of physical tools, skating ability, and puck skill. His mobility and dexterity allow him to consistently escape pressure and play with control. What separates him is how those tools are complemented by high-end intelligence. He's poised and composed with the puck, and he processes the game at a level well beyond his age. He looks like a 20-year-old out there in terms of how he manages the puck and controls play."

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.

"I played with his dad Micki in Saint John (Calgary's American Hockey League affiliate)," said Nick Smith of NHL Central Scouting. "He was a good offensive defenseman. Landon's biggest asset, in my opinion, is his brain. He's a step ahead of everyone out there. Most guys have one or two elite qualities to sell at the NHL level, but Landon has more. He's explosive and agile with his feet and can fly, has soft hands but can wire a pass or a shot with limited time and space. He also has some bite to his game and doesn't shy away from the physical side."

DuPont (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) set a Canadian Sports School Hockey League U18 Prep single-season scoring record for defensemen with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) playing in 30 games for Edge School Prep's U-18 team in 2023-24. 

He had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in five playoff games, tying the CSSHL U18 Championship scoring record held by Utah Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther in 2018-19. DuPont earned CSSHL U18 Prep Championship MVP award, and Edge won the CSSHL U18 title.

"His offensive production is elite and now he's combining it with a complete game which will make him a dominant force and very difficult to pass up if you're picking early in the 2027 NHL draft, period," Gregory said.