Simon Wang is looking to make history at 2025 NHL Draft

Jun 14, 2025, 11:00 EDT

Simon Wang is looking to make history at 2025 NHL Draft

Credit: Steven Ellis

Simon (Haoxi) Wang didn’t take the conventional route to the NHL Draft.

Wang was born in Beijing, China – a nation that has yet to produce a single NHL player. They’ve had a few drafted in the past, starting with New York Islanders pick Andong Song in 2015 and most recently with Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He a year ago.

He became the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract, doing so earlier this season after going 109th overall in 2024. But Wang is looking to become the highest-drafted player out of China in NHL history – and perhaps even the first one taken in the first round.

According to the IIHF, China has 10,768 total players and 104 indoor rinks from a population of over 1.4 billion. Canada, meanwhile, has over 33,000 referees alone, with close to 588,000 total players.

Wang fell in love with the sport when he was four years old. China doesn’t have a huge hockey program, but both the men’s and women’s teams have participated in the Olympics – most recently in 2022. It was hard for a young kid to get exposed to the sport, but Wang was hooked the minute he saw it up close.

“My friend started playing before, so he invited me to watch one of his practices,” Wang said during the 2025 NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo. “When I walked in there, it was not like typical sports that I know. It was freezing in there. The moment I saw one on the ice, something just clicked inside of me. I just fell in love with the game right away.

“I told my mom I need to get out there as soon as possible. And I probably went on the ice the next day or so.”

Wang spent the first eight or so years playing in China anytime he could. But at 12 years old, he and his family made the bold decision to have him go to Canada on his own and pursue his dreams of becoming a hockey player. That’s late for any player trying to get a serious step up on the competition, given most other kids in the country had spent about eight or so years in competitive leagues.

“Another friend of mine actually came to Toronto ahead of me,” Wang said. “And he told me he wanted to pursue trying to be a professional hockey player. And I had a long conversation with my mom about whether I should stay in China. Toronto is arguably the best environment for hockey. So, I’m glad that I made the right choice and I came to Toronto when I was 12.”

It was a big move for the young kid, who moved in with his friend and had to learn how to be quite independent without his family nearby.

“I think they saw my passion and they saw my drive and the belief that I had in myself,” Wang said. “And I basically paint the bigger picture for them and sell them the dream of mine.”

Wang learned most of his fundamental skills back in China, skating around 4-5 times a week. But it wasn’t until he was around 14 years old in Toronto that he started to work on making a career in hockey a reality.

“My advisor (John Walters)’s dad, his name’s Joe – shoutout to him. He put a ton of effort into putting my game into the right space,” Wang said. “He’d give me positive advice, negative advice and how I should work on it. And he was like a mentor to me. And at that point, my game really started skyrocketing from there.”

In 2023, the Oshawa Generals selected Wang 83rd overall, but he ultimately committed to Boston University later that year. With college the priority, Wang took his talents to the OJHL’s Brampton 99ers, which is a step below the OHL. In 2024-25, the team relocated to the small rural community of King City, with the team now being owned by Wang’s mother, Willa.

King City’s last population count was just north of 8,000. They’re passionate about the sport. And for about three months, it wasn’t uncommon for another 20-plus scouts to join in on the fun, getting a glimpse of what Wang was capable of.

He quickly gained serious attention for his size, now standing at a whopping 6-foot-6. He focused heavily on his skating back in China, and despite being a big defenseman, he was also extremely mobile at a young age. Wang’s unique mobility for his frame allowed him to dominate the OJHL, making a name for himself as one of the league’s top defenders after being more of a mid-pack guy the year prior.

But once the NCAA ruled that CHL prospects could go on to play American college hockey, everything changed. Wang was one of the first draft prospects to sign an OHL deal, joining Oshawa for the remainder of the season to face more difficult competition.

“I took (the OHL signing decision) step by step,” Wang said. “I started to practice with them a few weeks and I could match up with them perfectly. And then I decided to get my first game in against Ottawa. Did great as well. I just kind of moved on from there and did everything I wanted to in (the OJHL), dominating both sides of the ice. And I knew Oshawa was in for a run and I was really excited to be part of it.”

Wang struggled with the pace early on as he learned how to play against faster, tougher opponents.

“The biggest adjustment for me is to be confident in myself with my ice time decreasing and with my shorter leash,” Wang said. “I’ve learned a ton about myself throughout the playoff run and it’s really exciting to move on next year with a bigger role with a longer leash.”

Wang eventually became one of the OHL’s top rookies. He played well enough that some scouts thought he had an outside shot of becoming a first-round pick later this month.

“His size, skill and mobility, combined together, is so unique,” one scout said. “He’s still extremely raw, but he has all the traits you’d look for out of a future shutdown defender.”

“Raw” is absolutely the best way of describing Wang’s game. On one hand, it’s unbelievable just how great of a skater he is. He’s quick, can move in any direction and can beat smaller forwards who typically meet the profile of a speedster. You just simply don’t find builds like that. He’s an absolute play-killer, and even though he only had two assists this year, he does have a decent shot.

But Wang is still a work in progress. Wang was prone to turnovers this year, with some scouts questioning his hockey sense. He would dominate the slower pace of the OJHL but it looked like his decision-making lagged behind throughout the OHL regular season. Wang seemed to improve come playoff time, but his inability to step in and catch up quickly likely hurt his draft stock.

A full year in the OHL could do wonders for him. Wang should have a more prominent role with the Generals, who still look like serious contenders again after two straight trips to the championship series. Wang needs to show he can make quicker decisions with the puck while shutting down opponents with ease. He’s got the size, but he’s got to use it. From there, he’ll head off to BU, a school that has had no issues churning out quality defenders year after year.

The team that takes Wang will need to be patient as he continues to evolve his game. But the base, right now, is so intriguing that he shouldn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called in Los Angeles.

And, maybe one day, an entire country will rally around their new favorite hockey player, helping spark the next wave of hockey talent in Asia.

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Simon Wang is looking to make history at 2025 NHL Draft

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