Landon DuPont Joins Michigan as NCAA Becomes Top Draft Path
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The former Everett Silvertips defenseman is following a trend of elite prospects opting for college hockey to face stiffer competition before the NHL Draft.
As Sportsnet first reported, Landon DuPont is transitioning to the NCAA after leading the Everett Silvertips to a league title and a Memorial Cup final appearance. The defenseman has selected the University of Michigan, a program that enters the season ranked No. 2 in both national polls.
DuPont's move mirrors a path taken one year prior by Gavin McKenna, who also left the WHL for a Big Ten program before being selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sportsnet reports that an emerging trend is seeing top CHL players move to U.S. college hockey following their draft year, though some elite players, like DuPont, are entering the NCAA in their draft year to compete against older and stiffer competition.
The shift is reflected in the numbers: 14 players selected in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft are suiting up in the NCAA this season, an increase from the 10 first-rounders from the 2025 draft who did so the previous year.
At Michigan, DuPont joins a roster featuring several high-profile prospects, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage, Nashville Predators goalie Jack Ivankovic, and three first-round freshmen: forwards JP Hurlbert of the Detroit Red Wings and Jack Nesbitt of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Predators defenseman Cameron Reid.