According to Victor Kaisar of CHNL Kamloops, there was significant news in the Western Hockey League on Monday. That is because defenseman Landon Dupont of Calgary, Alberta has been granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada. This means that Dupont can enter the Western Hockey League as a 15-year old rather than a 16-year old.
There has been only one other player in WHL history who has been granted exceptional player status. That is Connor Bedard of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Bedard, received the special status in 2020, prior to being selected first overall by the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft. Bedard was later selected first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 National Hockey League Draft.
Landon Dupont played the past two seasons at Edge School in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. Over the last two seasons he has 34 goals and 75 assists for 109 points in 57 games.
Landon Dupont’s father Micki of Calgary played four seasons in the National Hockey League. 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 a -7 with 12 penalty minutes, three power play points and 38 shots on goal. Dupont’s goal came on October 14, 2002 in a 3-2 Flames win over the Vancouver Canucks. Dupont tied the game at two at 13:30 of the second period on an all-Canadian goal. Jamie Wright of Kitchener, Ontario and Stephane Yelle of Ottawa, Ontario picked up the assists.
