According to Victor Caesar CHNL KamloopsThere was big news in the Western Hockey League on Monday. This is because defenseman Landon Dupont from Calgary, Alberta was awarded Exceptional Player status by Hockey Canada. This means DuPont can enter the Western Hockey League when he turns 15 instead of 16.
There has only been one other player in WHL history who has been granted Exceptional Player status. This is Connor Bedard from North Vancouver, British Columbia. Bedard earned special status in 2020, before being selected first overall by the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League's Bantam Draft. Bedard was later selected first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Landon Dupont played the past two seasons for the Edge School in the Canadian Athletic School Hockey League. Over the past two seasons, he has scored 34 goals and provided 75 assists for 109 points in 57 games.
Calgary's Landon DuPont's father, Mickey, played four seasons in the NHL. He was with the Calgary Flames from 2001 to 2003, the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2006 to 2007 and the St. Louis Blues from 2007 to 2008. In 23 games, he had one goal and three assists for four points, and was -7 with 12 penalty minutes, three power play points and 38 steals. On goal. DuPont's goal came on October 14, 2002 in the Flames' 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. DuPont tied the game at 13:30 of the second period with an all-Canadian goal. Jimmy Wright of Kitchener, Ontario and Stefan Yell of Ottawa, Ontario picked up the assists.
