When defenceman Landon DuPont was granted distinctive standing by the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) final spring, it was a giant deal. Not solely was he simply the third defenceman given the exemption, however he was the second participant to obtain it within the Western Hockey League (WHL). Regardless of the unbelievable alternative for the teenager, to comply with up the earlier recipient, Connor Bedard, was going to be a tall order.
Nevertheless, DuPont is proving the CHL made the fitting name. Regardless of being the youngest participant within the WHL, the 15-year-old defender leads all rookies with 16 factors in 11 video games and sits fourth with 4 targets. The Everett Silvertips are a powerful group this season, with draft-eligible Carter Bear main the scoring alongside NHL prospects Julius Miettinen, Tarin Smith, Kaden Hammell, and Eric Jamieson, however he nonetheless sits second behind Bear and hasn’t appeared misplaced alongside a few of the league’s greatest gamers.
DuPont is having the influence everybody hoped he’d have and there’s little query that he’ll be a front-runner for the 2027 NHL Entry Draft, however how does that examine with gamers who obtained distinctive standing previously? By those that got here earlier than him, there’s a good likelihood we will see simply how impactful he’ll be sooner or later.
DuPont’s First WHL Video games
DuPont wasted no time getting on the scoresheet, registering an help in his WHL debut in opposition to the Vancouver Giants. He additionally put 4 photographs on objective, which led all defencemen on the ice, and his plus-2 was the very best amongst all Silvertips’ defenders. The next sport, he doubled his offensive influence with two assists as Everett stomped the Portland Winterhawks 8-2, and in his third sport, he added one more help and led the Silvertips with seven photographs.
It was solely a matter of time earlier than DuPont scored his first objective, and in his fifth sport, that second lastly got here. On a rush play halfway via the second interval, the rookie defender caught a backhanded cross from Julien Maze, who was making an attempt to create some house because the Prince Albert Raiders scrambled to determine defensive positions. DuPont took benefit of the confusion and put the puck simply by goalie Max Hildebrand. Two video games later, he recorded his first two-goal sport, and the day after, he had his first three-point evening. It wasn’t till the Silvertips took on the Moose Jaw Warriors on Oct. 11 that his level streak was damaged, however by then, he had a agency grip on the league’s rookie level lead.
Being that Everett is within the U.S. Division, a lot of the groups in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba will solely get one have a look at the distinctive defender this season, however he’s made a right away impression in all places he’s performed. “A particular expertise,” mentioned Saskatoon Blades’ head coach Dan DaSilva following the Blades’ 5-4 time beyond regulation loss to the Silvertips on Oct. 5. “To play on this league at 15, you have to be a really particular participant. First have a look at him, he appeared superb, very calm on the market. He appeared like he was a 20-year-old already, so he’s going to be a particular participant and it was very neat to see him up entrance.”
Distinctive Standing Doesn’t Assure Success
The distinctive standing clause was created in 2005 when it was painfully apparent that then-15-year-old John Tavares was far too good for the Ontario U16 circuit. In 72 video games in 2004-05, the eventual 2009 first-overall choose had 91 targets and 158 factors, prompting Tavares to petition the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to amend their rule that solely 16-year-olds may very well be drafted within the league. The request partly labored; whereas most 15 yr olds have been nonetheless ineligible, the CHL launched an exception for gamers deemed “distinctive.”
Since then, eight gamers apart from DuPont have been allowed to play their 15-year-old season within the respective junior leagues. Of these eight, solely two have been defencemen, and so they couldn’t have had extra completely different experiences. Aaron Ekblad, granted distinctive standing in 2011, excelled with the Barrie Colts, turning into an elite two-way defender and going first total in 2014. Sean Day, granted the standing two seasons later, struggled to adapt to the OHL. He appeared higher in his sophomore season with the Mississauga Steelheads, however regressed in his draft season, which noticed him fall to the third spherical within the 2016 Draft. He was ultimately traded to the Windsor Spitfires in 2017 after which to the Kingston Frontenacs only one season later earlier than turning professional, however by no means made the NHL.
Except for Day, solely two different gamers weren’t chosen first total of their NHL Draft yr. Joe Veleno was the primary participant from the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League (now known as the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League) granted distinctive standing, and whereas he was a stable producer for the Saint John Sea Canines, he was by no means elite and fell to thirtieth total on the 2018 Draft. Shane Wright additionally missed going first total, falling to fourth in 2022, doubtless as a result of OHL’s cancelation the complete 2020-21 season on account of COVID-19. He was one of the crucial productive gamers within the league in his draft yr, however the three prospects who went forward of him on the draft all performed via 2020-21. Michael Misa might very nicely be part of this group, too. He’s been extremely productive, however the 2025 Draft class has just a few gamers who’re projected to go forward of him.
Projecting DuPont’s Junior Profession
Though there hasn’t been an exceptional-status defender since Day, it’s nonetheless doable to make use of the earlier examples to assist undertaking his junior profession. We’ll begin with Day, who is probably going the worst-case situation. Like DuPont, he obtained off to a very good begin, recording assists in his first two video games, however he then hit a skid, recording only one help over his subsequent six outings. He broke the slide together with his first OHL objective, however the remainder of the season went equally — bursts of offense adopted by lengthy droughts. He completed his first season with simply six targets and 16 factors in 60 video games. Already tied with Day’s rookie manufacturing, there’s little threat of DuPont going through related struggles.
Ekblad is a a lot better comparable, however it’s nonetheless not good. The present Florida Panthers’ captain was a dominant pressure in junior and appeared a lot older than he was out on the ice. DuPont has additionally been described as mature for his age, and his calm method permits him to thrive the place others could stumble. Nevertheless, one huge distinction is that Ekblad was extra of a two-way pressure and by no means surpassed a degree per sport within the OHL, whereas DuPont performs a extra offensive type and is on tempo for 27 targets and 88 factors. That stage of manufacturing is nearer to Doug Bodger, who put up 26 targets and 92 factors in 72 video games with the Kamloops Junior Oilers as a 16-year-old in 1982-83. He went on to go ninth total on the 1984 Draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jim Benning additionally had an unbelievable 16-year-old season with 71 factors in 71 video games earlier than going sixth total within the 1981 Draft.
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Thus, it may be simpler to check DuPont to a few of the forwards who got here earlier than him. Bedard, the one different participant from the WHL granted distinctive standing, had his rookie season minimize quick as a result of pandemic, however when he returned, he produced at a 127-point tempo. Connor McDavid surprisingly completed far beneath that, placing up simply 66 factors in 63 video games at 15 years outdated. The next season, he had 99 factors in simply 56 video games. Given DuPont’s present tempo, it’s doubtless he follows an analogous sample, slowing barely because the season progresses however ending over a degree per sport, then breaking out as a sophomore in 2025-26.
It’s price contemplating, nonetheless, that DuPont joined an excellent Silvertips group. After 11 video games, Everett sits in first place within the Western Convention with simply two losses to date. DuPont can thank the Kamloops Blazers, who traded their subsequent 4 first-round picks to Everett together with 4 gamers and 6 extra picks for Olen Zellweger and Ryan Hofer in preparation for internet hosting the 2023 Memorial Cup. Little did the Blazers know that their 2024 first-round choose would find yourself being first total, costing them an opportunity at a generational defenceman. Whereas it’s not unusual for exceptional-status gamers to play within the playoffs, hardly ever has one joined as deep of a group.
All issues thought of, DuPont has a uncommon alternative to set a brand new normal for distinctive standing gamers. There arguably hasn’t ever been a participant like him, and followers may have the privilege to observe him change into a junior star over the following three seasons. He’s already confirmed he was well worth the hype of his draft choice. Now he simply has to stick with it.
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