The University of Michigan hockey program has scored in a big way with recent commitments from top-flight d-men Landon Dupont and Cameron Reid for the 2026-27 campaign. They recently competed against one another in the Memorial Cup finals for Canadian Hockey League supremacy. Reid’s OHL champion Kitchener Rangers prevailed 6-2 over Dupont’s WHL champion Everett Silvertips to take home the Cup. Having attended that tournament, my only reaction is to comment on the special qualities each of these players bring to the table.
Dupont only recently turned 17 years of age, and is not draft-eligible until 2027, where he is projected to be in the conversation for the first overall pick. Lining up as a d-man, he is all over the ice as soon as the puck drops, going wherever the best scoring opportunity exists. For U of M supporters who are fans of players such as Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson, you are in for a treat. Dupont first burst on the junior hockey scene in 2024-25 as a 15-year-old WHL player, garnering nearly a point per game against players four and five years his senior. He registered 73 points (18G 55A) in 63 games for the Silvertips this past season.
Reid was a first-round pick for Nashville (21st overall) in 2025, and the captain and unquestioned leader of an elite Kitchener squad. He is more of a traditional two-way d-man than Dupont, logging heavy minutes against top-6 opponents on a nightly basis and shutting them down. Reid is far from a one-trick pony, however. He has the skill and stamina to average a point per game on the other side of the puck, using explosive skating and elite deception to generate numerous scoring chances. Reid registered 56 points (15G 41A) in 57 regular-season games in 2025-26, and tacked on another 14 points (2G 12A) in 18 OHL playoff games this past campaign.