The Vancouver Canucks aren’t likely going to make the playoffs this upcoming season. But instead of seeing that as a disappointment, it shouldn’t be. In fact, tanking in 2026-27 could be the best thing that could happen to the Canucks.
Finishing last overall would give Vancouver the best shot at landing the first-overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. And if the Canucks actually get it, the prize could be top defensive prospect Landon DuPont.
DuPont is the early favorite to be the top pick in next year’s draft. And if his ceiling is really what it is, he could be the top-pairing blueliner the Canucks need to build their new core.
That’s nothing to sneeze at. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler wrote this fantastic review of DuPont’s skill set.
“DuPont is also a play driver in every area, with pristine underlying numbers and microstats. Zone exit, zone entries, denials, shot creation, pass creation: you name it. He has a lethal curl-and-drag release into his feet and a one-timer, excellent hands and both the IQ and the competitiveness to be consistently impactful in all three zones.”
That sounds like the sort of blueliner that the Canucks will need moving forward. But there might be one catch.
Canucks Won’t Be Seeing DuPont Anytime Soon
DuPont earned exceptional status for just the second time in WHL history. He entered the league as a 15-year-old and lit up the WHL. Now, he’ll be moving on to the NCAA and playing for Michigan as a 17-year-old.
As such, if and when the Canucks take DuPont, they won’t likely see him anytime soon. There’s a good chance he’ll remain in college and jump to the NHL at some point down the line.
Unless DuPont is willing to do what Matthew Schaefer did, Canucks fans will have to wait to see DuPont.
Then again, the Canucks don’t really have any reason to rush DuPont to the NHL.
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Vancouver Can Afford to Wait for DuPont Amid Rebuild
Unlike the New York Islanders, the Canucks are clearly not making the playoffs. So, there’s no need to rush DuPont to the NHL. The Islanders pushed Schaefer into the NHL last season because the team believed it could make the playoffs.
For the Islanders’ sake, Schaefer had a phenomenal season as an 18-year-old. If Schaefer had struggled, the move would have been highly scrutinized.
But that won’t be the case for the Canucks. Since the team isn’t looking to make a playoff push, it can afford to wait until DuPont is truly ready to make an impact at the NHL level. That could mean waiting a couple of more seasons in the NCAA before seeing DuPont hit the Big Leagues.
Of course, that’s all speculation at this point. This entire conversation works under the assumption that Vancouver will land the first-overall pick. Even if the tank works, there’s no guarantee that the Canucks will get that first pick.
This past season was a clear example of that.
Canucks Have Major Incentive to Tank in 2026-27