Achi news desk-
The Western Hockey League (WHL) introduced its newest “outstanding player” on Monday in Calgary.
Judging by the praise being heaped on Landon DuPont, the 14-year-old is going to be a player worth watching.
“When you watch Landon play, you’re drawn to his skill, his skating and his talent, his vision on the ice … But when you get the chance to meet him and talk to him, you also understand the idea of exceptional character , exceptional integrity and exceptional maturity,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations with Hockey Canada.
It was those traits and DuPont’s undeniable skill that led to him gaining exceptional status to play as a 15-year-old boy in the Western Hockey League.
“I think there will be challenges along the way, but I think I have a good support system around me with my coaches and advisors and family. Everyone helped me along the way. I don’t think there’s anything I can’t handle,” DuPont told reporters at the press conference.
DuPont has been playing with the Edge Hockey program, leading his squad in scoring with 62 points and setting the single-season scoring record for a defenseman.
Salmond says there is a danger in putting young men in a position with older athletes but he sticks to the history of the eight other young hockey players who have received outstanding player status.
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“I think we’ve been successful in that. You don’t always get it right from the hockey side, but it’s probably more important to get it right from the maturity side,” said Salmond. “When you look at the history of the players who have achieved exceptional player status, I think it speaks to them as people.”
Salmond said that getting the status comes from the belief that “the player is so exceptional that it would be detrimental to his development not to have that opportunity to play at a higher level.”
DuPont is now the ninth player and third defenseman to receive exceptional status. Connor Bedard is the only other player to have the special privilege in the WHL.
“I think we’re very mindful of trying to create an environment that doesn’t overwhelm or disrupt Landon’s life as a young man, as a teenager, as a high school student,” said WHL commissioner Dan Near.
“It’s inevitable that there will be some challenges that he will have to deal with – the adversity and the highs and lows of winning and losing and the pressure and the media – but we saw a video this morning that Connor sent to Landon, and I expect the two will become friends as they begin to share experiences and learn from each other,” said Near.
“And his parents and Landon’s parents will want to develop a relationship, because there is no better example than that of Connor Bedard and he did it with so much grace and so successfully,” said Near.
DuPont said Bedard has been his role model.
“He told me to keep having fun and keep being a kid, that’s what it’s all about,” DuPont said.
The blueliner was born in Calgary and raised in Switzerland and Germany where his father, Micki, played hockey.
“The most important thing is to make sure he’s having fun and he’s still a kid, so that’s really our focus,” said Erin DuPont, Landon’s mother.
Landon said he plans to ignore all the chatter on social media and focus on what he loves to do.
“I don’t play it for the online likes and clicks. I play to have fun with my friends and teammates,” DuPont said.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
