Calgary's Landon DuPont granted exceptional status to play in WHL next season
The Western Hockey League (WHL) officially introduced Calgary's Landon DuPont as the second player in league history to be granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada.
The 14-year-old right-handed defenceman becomes the ninth player to be given the green light to join the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) on a full-time basis a year early, joining the likes of Connor Bedard and Connor McDavid.
"It’s such an honour for me,” DuPont said Monday, with his mother and father sitting next to him as he was introduced to media.
“I’m extremely humbled to have received this designation,” said DuPont, who will turn 15 on May 28.
DuPont manned the blue line for Edge School's U18 team last season, racking up 19 goals and 43 assists in 30 games to lead all defenceman in points in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL).
DuPont is expected to be drafted first overall by the Everett Silvertips on May 9 and will be in Grade 10 when the WHL season begins.
"Landon is a fine young man, who not only possesses tremendous talent on the ice, but has been raised with solid moral character, a positive attitude and a great work ethic,” said WHL commissioner Dan Near.
DuPont is the son of former Calgary Flames defenceman Micki DuPont.
DuPont caught everyone’s attention with his play at the Circle K Classic back in December, where he stood out despite playing against players who were years older than he is. Now he'll be playing against some players who are five years older than he is in the WHL.
An exceptional status offers the chance for younger players to enter the WHL a year early.
While the youth will be the second WHL player to be recognized, eight other Canadian hockey players have been given the status, including Bedard:
- 2022: Michael Misa, centre;
- 2020: Connor Bedard, centre;
- 2019: Shane Wright, centre;
- 2015: Joe Veleno, centre/left wing;
- 2013: Sean Day, defenceman;
- 2012: Connor McDavid, centre;
- 2011: Aaron Ekblad, defenceman; and
- 2005: John Tavares, centre.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Kim Kardashian brand kids' sleepwear and more: Here are some recalls to watch out for
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Maple Leafs down Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7
William Nylander scored twice and Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Is your password 123456? Here's why you should make it stronger
With the sheer number of passwords needed today, it may come as no surprise that over 60 per cent of Canadians feel overwhelmed, and over a third reportedly forget their passwords monthly.
Britney Spears and Sam Asghari are officially divorced and single
Britney Spears and Sam Asghari are officially divorced and single.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
OPP's mandatory alcohol screening during traffic stops 'not acceptable': CCLA
A spike in impaired driving-related collisions has caused Ontario’s provincial police to begin enforcing mandatory alcohol screening (MAS) at all traffic stops in the Greater Toronto Area -- a move one civil rights group says is ‘not acceptable.’
Jurors in Trump hush money trial hear recording of pivotal call on plan to buy affair story
Jurors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump heard a recording Thursday of him discussing with his then-lawyer and personal fixer a plan to purchase the silence of a Playboy model who has said she had an affair with the former president.
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.