WHL season preview: Exceptional player Landon DuPont eyes championship in Year 2

Landon DuPont certainly lived up to his exceptional status in his first year in the WHL.

This season, the Everett Silvertips defenceman wants to take another step.

“We’ve got a lot of players coming back, and some new young talent coming up,” DuPont, 16, said in a telephone interview earlier this summer. “Hopefully we can get our redemption from last year and hopefully win a championship.”

The first defenceman to be granted exceptional status into the WHL and allowed to enter the league a year early was ready for the challenge.

DuPont, the son of former NHL defenceman Micki DuPont, put up 17 goals and 43 assists for 60 points in 65 regular-season games before notching five goals and 10 assists in 10 playoff games for the WHL’s top team in the regular season.

The Calgary native was named WHL rookie of the year and is the early favourite to be picked first overall in the 2027 NHL Draft. The regular-season-leading Silvertips bowed out in the second round of the playoffs.

“Coming in as a rookie, you never know how it’s going to go,” DuPont said. “Sometimes, you don’t get the opportunity and what not. I was really lucky my coaches believed in me and I was able to gain more confidence as the year went on. I really found my game toward the end of the year.”

With Detroit Red Wings 2025 first-round pick Carter Bear expected back at some point after an Achilles injury late last season, the Silvertips should have two of the best players in the league.

Time, however, is of the essence for the Washington State team. DuPont could follow top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna and move to the NCAA from the WHL next season, though no decision has been made just yet.

Also like McKenna, DuPont hopes to make a bid to play for Canada’s world junior team this year as an underager. McKenna followed up his world junior appearance by winning a WHL title and going to the Memorial Cup Final with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

“It’s a goal of every young kid growing up,” he said. “You always want to represent your country at the world juniors. It’s the biggest tournament. I remember every year since I was a little kid watching the world juniors.”

With the WHL season starting Friday, here are some storylines to watch.

The Kelowna Rockets host the Memorial Cup this season, one year after missing the playoffs entirely.

With plenty of time to prepare to host, the Rockets should be much better positioned to compete this season.

For starters, Utah Mammoth first-rounder Tij Iginla should be ready to play a much bigger role after being limited to 21 games because of a hip injury last season.

The Rockets signed U.S. national under-18 goalie Harrison Boettiger this summer and also added San Jose Sharks prospect Carson Wetsch in a trade with the Calgary Hitmen.

Expect the Rockets to be a WHL championship contender.

Maddox Schultz turned down the opportunity to apply for exceptional status, but the forward from Regina will enter the league with his hometown Pats this season under the new Western Canadian Development Model.

The program allows Schultz, 15, to play a maximum of 34 games with the Pats, while playing the rest of the season with the Regina under-18 team he led to a national title last season.

Picked first overall by the Pats in this year’s WHL Draft, Schultz had three goals and two assists in six pre-season games. He’ll be a teammate on both Regina teams with Liam Pue, who also had five points in the pre-season and will play under the same development model.

They’re joined in the model by Everett’s Reid Nicol.

Vancouver Giants defenceman Ryan Lin and Spokane Chiefs centre Mathis Preston both should be in the mix to be top-10 picks at next year’s NHL Draft.

Preston had four goals and three assists in five games for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup under-18 tourney this summer.

Lin was nearly a point-a-game player (five goals, 48 assists for 53 points) in 60 games last season.

Assuming Berkly Catton (eighth overall, Seattle Kraken in 2024) returns, Spokane should be a major force.

With Catton and Preston, the team has huge potential up front.

Spokane added German goalie Linus Vieillard and forward Elias Pul in the Import Draft. Both of those players could end up in the world juniors.

The Penticton Vees are a WHL expansion team this season, making the jump from the BCHL.

Former U.S. national under-18 forward Jacob Kvasnicka and Czechia defenceman Jiri Kamas are two of the players to watch.

Longtime Vees coach Fred Harbinson remains with the team as it changes leagues.

The Vees’ home opener is Sept. 26 versus Kelowna.