Landon DuPont, 17, Is Banged Up and Everett's Memorial Cup Dreams Are Now a High-Wire Act

Hold up, Seattle! If you’ve been watching the Memorial Cup, you know all eyes are on Everett Silvertips defenceman Landon DuPont. The kid is the marquee name, projected to be the top prospect for the 2027 NHL draft. But now, as Friday’s semifinal against the QMJHL champion Chicoutimi Saguenéens looms, we’re all waiting with bated breath: Is this phenom even going to play? DuPont, who just turned 17 on Thursday, was a surprising late scratch for Wednesday’s round-robin finale with an undisclosed injury, and it has the whole Emerald City hockey scene holding its breath.

The Undisclosed Hit That Could Change Everything

This isn't just some bump or bruise. DuPont's status for the rest of the tournament is now the focus. Coach Steve Hamilton wouldn't even put a percentage on DuPont’s chances to suit up for the semifinal. But he did drop this: “What I do know is if there’s a possibility, he’s in. He’ll find a way.” That’s the spirit, right? Hamilton added that the team has to make sure they take care of their players, especially if a guy isn't “capable of being himself.” They felt Wednesday wasn’t the fit for him, but a couple of days could make a huge difference. He even joked DuPont was a healthy scratch before admitting, “He is a little nicked up.” The coach sounded pretty optimistic though, saying DuPont “wanted to give it a try” in warm-ups and he thinks he'll be “pretty good going forward.”

So what happened? DuPont was on the ice for warm-ups on Wednesday and didn’t look limited. But he's taken some serious shots during this tournament. He got drilled by Chicoutimi captain Emmanuel Vermette in Everett’s 5-3 win on Saturday, and then took a blindside hit into the sideboards during Monday’s 6-2 loss to Kitchener. He was slow to get up and visibly wincing, but he stayed in that game, even scoring a point and taking a penalty. That grit is why he’s drawing comparisons to guys like Matthew Schaefer and Cale Makar. Opponents are clearly trying to limit him physically, and given Kelowna had been throwing their weight around, that scratch might have been a smart, precautionary move.

Silvertips Show They Can Win Without Their Star

Even without their exceptional defender, these Silvertips showed up! They prevailed 4-0 over the host Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday, punching their ticket to the semifinal. The Rockets, on the other hand, were shut out twice and never even led in any of their three games. Talk about a team stepping up in a big moment! Nolan Chastko shifted back to defense, playing alongside Brek Liske, and blueliners Kayd Ruedig and Jaxon Pisani stepped up, scoring first-period goals. Goalie Anders Miller bounced back from giving up six goals against Kitchener with a 28-save shutout. Hamilton praised the “really good team effort,” noting they blocked 28 shots. He knows his squad is resilient, they already overcame captain Tarin Smith’s season-ending shoulder surgery earlier in their playoff run. “I just kind of knew that the guys would respond, and they would find a way,” Hamilton said. That’s the mentality we love to see.

So, get ready for Friday, Seattle! Our guys from Everett face Chicoutimi in the semifinal. If they can pull off another win, they’ll meet the OHL champion Kitchener Rangers in Sunday’s final. The stakes couldn't be higher, and whether DuPont is out there or cheering from the bench, we know these Silvertips will fight for that Cup!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.