It might seem like it’s way too early to be talking about the 2027 NHL Draft. But believe it or not, talk has already ramped up about who could go first overall in next year’s draft.
The presumptive pick at this point is Michigan defenseman Landon DuPont. And he’s about as good as they come. He’s so good, in fact, that he’s begun drawing comparisons to the NHL’s best defenseman: Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar.
That’s not hyperbole.
DuPont, like Makar, is from Calgary. And the NCAA star has fashioned his game after the two best defensemen in the game: Makar and Minnesota Wild blueliner Quinn Hughes.
Speaking to RG Media, DuPont explained his thoughts on the matter.
"That's who I keep watching every night when I turn on the TV," DuPont said. "I always want to watch Cale and Quinn and all those good D-men to see what they do and try to learn from them."
It’s a scary thought to bear. If DuPont can be anything like Makar, well, he’s going to be something special in the NHL, that’s for sure.
But DuPont knows that it will take time to even get close to being in the same conversation as Makar.
“You're never going to be the best hockey player ever unless you're Connor McDavid. There's always something to keep getting better at."
The great news is that the 17-year-old has all the time in the world to continue improving.
DuPont keeping comparisons to Makar cool
If you thought that drawing comparisons to Cale Makar has gone to DuPont’s head, you’ll have another thing coming.
If anything, DuPont has been cool about the comparisons. He’s willing to keep things on the down low while acknowledging what others see in him.
"It's cool," he said. "Obviously, he's from Calgary, too, and just watching him, when people compare us, I'm like, 'Come on, this guy's the best D-man in the world.' But it's pretty cool to see that other people see something good in your game."
As it stands, the favorites to land next year’s first-overall pick are the Vancouver Canucks. Very few are picking the Pacific Division squad to make it out of the NHL cellar. That means Vancouver should once again have the best odds of winning the 2027 NHL Draft.
If things go Vancouver’s way, the team might just get the best defenseman since Cale Makar was drafted in 2017. It should be noted that Makar went fourth overall. The Canucks picked fifth that year and landed Elias Pettersson.
Who knows? Had Colorado gone another route, Makar might have ended up in Vancouver. 10 years later, the Canucks will have their chance at a Cale Makar of their own.
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