Landon DuPont's Top Potential Landing Spots in 2027 After 2026 NHL Draft
The end of the 2026 NHL draft means it's time for scouts to turn their focus to prospects from the class of 2027.
Just like last season, during which No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna played for Penn State, scouts might have to turn their attention to the NCAA to watch the prospective top selection.
Defenseman Landon DuPont earned early buzz as a potential top pick after racking up 133 points in 127 games over two seasons in the WHL, and he's committed to Michigan for the 2026-27 season.
The New York Islanders selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer at the top of the 2025 draft, and he responded by coming close to carrying his team back into the playoffs with one of the best teenage seasons in NHL history.
One team could look to follow in the Isles' footsteps by targeting another top defensive prospect around this time next spring.
Here's a look at a few potential early landing spots for DuPont as he prepares for what could be his first college season.
Vancouver Canucks
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The worst team in the 2025-26 NHL missed out on the top pick after sliding in the draft lottery.
The Canucks could look to make up for that dip this season by selecting a player who could bolster the team's top defensive pairing.
Vancouver lost their former top defenseman when they traded former Norris Trophy winner to Quinn Hughes last December.
Drafting DuPont could help them add another blueliner who might be able to add the kind of offensive impact Hughes had in Vancouver.
It could also give the Canucks a potential partner for left-handed defenseman Zeev Buium, who arrived in Vancouver as part of the Hughes trade.
DuPont was a Canucks fan growing up, as was 2023 top pick Connor Bedard. This time, the Canucks could hope to be the team that gets the chance to select the top player in the draft.
Calgary Flames
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DuPont, a Calgary native, could make his homecoming if the Flames get a shot at the top pick in 2027.
The Flames split with their former No. 1 defenseman when they traded Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights in January before missing the playoffs for a fourth straight season.
The path back to the postseason for Calgary will involve roster shuffling as well as a step forward from Zayne Parekh, the No. 9 pick of the 2024 draft.
Parekh showed flashes of promise on the right side of the Flames' defense while playing 37 games with the club last season.
Seeing development from Parekh before further bolstering the right side of the blue line with the addition of DuPont could help the Flames take a step closer to returning to playoff contention for the first time since 2022.
Nashville Predators
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By this time next summer, the Predators could be looking to line up a potential successor for Roman Josi.
The Predators captain is signed through the 2027-28 campaign, and he's set to hit unrestricted free agency ahead of his age-38 season in 2028.
Should these next two seasons mark Josi's final two campaigns in Nashville, the Predators will be targeting a right-shot defenseman who can play on the top pairing in the near future.
Drafting DuPont ahead of what could be Josi's final season with the Preds could allow the franchise to set themselves up with their top defenseman of the future.
Seattle Kraken
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The Seattle Kraken could use a couple star players to lead them back into the playoffs for the second time in franchise history.
The Kraken are in need of a high-scoring forward after no skater scored more than 55 points for the franchise last season.
The team is also in need of a blueliner who could add some offensive spark to the Kraken's top defense pairing.
Adding a star forward before targeting DuPont in the draft could help the Kraken take a step closer to the franchise's first playoff run since 2023.
The Kraken selected Chase Reid with the No. 7 overall choice on Friday, representing the only time they've used a first-round pick on a defenseman since entering the franchise's first NHL draft in 2021. General manager Jason Botterill could go in the same direction if the Kraken remain in position for a lottery pick in 2027.
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