Fourteen year old sensation Landon Dupont given exceptional status

We have a new player joining the exclusive club of those granted exceptional status. Meet Landon DuPont, a fourteen-year-old defenseman hailing from Calgary, Alberta.

If you're unfamiliar with exceptional status, it's a rare honor bestowed upon only a handful of players in the history of the Canadian Hockey League. Only eight players have received that honor. Now, DuPont is set to make it nine as he gears up to hit the ice for the Western Hockey League in the upcoming 2024–2025 season.


The Everett Silvertips are eyeing DuPont as their first overall pick. Yes, the same Everett Silvertips who defeated the Vancouver Giants
5-0 in game five and advanced to the second round of the WHL playoffs against the Portland Winterhawks. So, how do they have the first pick? Well, they acquired from the Kampoloos Blazers selection for half a season of Olen Zellweger before he continued his professional journey to the Anaheim Ducks in January last year. The Blazers fell in the Memorial Cup playoffs and are now paying the price.


As for DuPont, he's been tearing it up for The Edge School U18 Prep, racking up 19 goals and 62 points in 30 regular season games.

He will join an exclusive WHL list that includes Calder Trophy frontrunner Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks and Shane Wright, lighting it up for the Seattle Kraken. The rest of the CHL list comprises Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Shane Wright, Joe Veleno, Sean Day, and Michael Misa.


Let's not forget the pressure that comes with being granted exceptional status. It's like stepping into the spotlight before hitting your growth spurt. Some players thrive under the pressure, while others falter. But from what we've seen of DuPont so far, it looks like he's more than ready to take his game to the next level.


With talent like his, the sky's the limit. Let's see where this generational talent takes the sport of hockey.