Are the Gophers Really a Darkhorse in Landon DuPont Sweepstakes?

Minnesota continues to get mentioned as a potential suitor for one of the best prospects in the sport.

3M Arena at Mariucci | Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Athletics

Gavin McKenna became one of the best NHL Draft prospects to ever play college hockey last offseason. Canadian-born defensemen Landon DuPont is following the same path this year, and he might be even better. All the blue-blood programs are reportedly showing interest, and the Gophers continue to be mentioned. Are they really a legit dark horse to add him to their 2026-27 roster?

DuPont hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and he has been viewed as a super prospect for a few years now. He just turned 17 on May 28, and he wrapped up his second season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Everett Silvertips. He finished with 73 points (18 goals and 55 assists) in 63 regular-season games. He's the early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. He likely saw how much fanfare McKenna got last season at Penn State, and he's now expected to make the jump to the NCAA before his NHL Draft year.

Michigan has been the heavy favorite to land DuPont throughout the entire process, and that is likely still the case. We wrote earlier this week about why Minnesota has a few things going in its favor, and Cam Robinson from EliteProspects reported on Monday that Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Denver are the four teams expected to "roll out the red carpet" for his services.

Schools that are expected to roll out the red carpet for him:

• Michigan
• Denver
• Michigan State
• Minnesota

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) June 1, 2026

The buzz doesn't stop there, as Scott Wheeler from The Athletic wrote a piece on Monday about DuPont's future. He has another interesting mention about the Gophers' standing.

"There has been some chatter about Minnesota, which is where Everett captain Tarin Smith is headed. I was initially hesitant about them because I didn’t think they’d have the financial package or the roster to stay in the mix, but it sounds like Minnesota has money to spend. New Minnesota head coach Brett Larson and Landon’s dad, Micki, are former teammates from their playing days," he wrote.

He backs up the overwhelming consensus that Michigan is the heavy favorite to land DuPont. They probably have a more lucrative financial offer on the table, they need a true No. 1 defenseman, and it's a big-time program with plenty of history.

The Gophers might be on the outside looking in, but the buzz is too much to ignore. The opportunity to continue playing with his buddy Tarin Smith, his girlfriend is reportedly attending Minnesota State in Mankato and his dad played with Gophers head coach Brett Larson.

Minnesota State transfer Evan Murr and Smith already project as a pretty impressive No. 1 D-group, but any team in the country would make room for DuPont. If Larson and the Gophers staff are able to pull a rabbit out of their hat, it would be quite the statement before Year 1 under the new regime.