Invited to watch his first hockey practice at an ice rink in Beijing, Haoxi Wang was no different than any impressionable, wide-eyed 4-year-old being fascinated by the equipment the players wore.
They resembled superheroes with sticks, uniforms and bulging pads, their faces hidden behind helmeted cages. This was before the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, when hockey was a niche sport in China and the NHL a mere pipe dream.
“It was definitely the gear,” the 6-foot-5, 215-pound — and still growing — defenseman who goes by Simon recalled at the NHL pre-draft scouting combine in Buffalo earlier this month.
“Something just clicked inside of me, and I just fell in love with the game,” Wang added. “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.”
This marked the start of a journey that saw a 12-year-old Wang move to Toronto and work his way up the junior ranks to play for the OHL Oshawa Generals. At 17, he is considered a candidate to be an early to mid-round pick in the NHL draft in Los Angeles this weekend.
“I think this is a dream come true moment for me,” said Wang, ranked 34th on NHL Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters. “If I told myself four, five years ago that I’ll be here, the NHL combine, I’d probably tell myself I’m dreaming.”
He’s not.
Based on Wang’s size and skating ability, there’s likely to be even more pinch-me moments ahead for someone in position to become just the third Chinese-born player — and potentially highest — selected in the NHL draft.
Short list of Chinese players drafted
Andong Song, chosen 172nd overall by the New York Islanders in 2015, was the first Chinese-born player drafted. Song never played professionally following two seasons with the USHL’s Madison Capitols.
Then there’s Kevin He, also from Beijing, who is on path to playing in the NHL. Drafted 109th by Winnipeg last year, He signed a three-year entry level contract with the Jets in December.
Kevin He had the advantage of playing organized hockey at 6 when his family moved to Montreal. By comparison, Wang’s true introduction to the sport competitively came with his arrival in Toronto at the urging of a friend who made the move earlier to pursue hockey.
It was a culture shock for Wang, who left his family behind and couldn’t speak English.
“I think courage would be the word, I would describe it,” Oshawa general manager Roger Hunt said. “The only language he knew was hockey. And he wanted to play. And he had the vision at that age to say, ‘Hey, if I want to do this, I better go there.’”
Wang proved to be a quick study. Though raw, his ability almost immediately caught everyone’s attention.
The only question for Hunt in selecting Wang in the fifth round of the 2023 OHL 16-year-old draft was his eligibility in having already committed to Boston University. The NCAA previously barred CHL players from competing at the college ranks before eliminating its rule in November.
OHL debut with Oshawa
Wang made his debut with Oshawa in December. Though he finished with a modest five assists in 53 games on a team that lost to London in the OHL finals, Wang did not look out of place.
“I don’t think anybody would have went into that arena and said, ‘Hey, this kid’s only played hockey five years,’” Hunt said. “He’s got such good feet, he skates so well, his edges, everything.”
Next year, Hunt projects Wang to take on a larger role as Oshawa’s top defenseman. Wang is ahead of schedule, in part due to the NCAA rule change.
The initial plan last season, his agent John Walters said, was to have Wang stay in the OJHL, where he was already showing signs of dominating with four goals and 22 points in 38 games.
Walters said it was at Wang’s urging to make the jump to OHL to spur his development against better competition.
“I had a couple of NHL teams saying, ‘You should have left him in junior, because there would have been that wonderment about him.’ And I said, ‘But that wouldn’t have made him better,’” Walters said. “Simon doesn’t care whether he goes in the first, second or third round. He wants to get better. He needed to go challenge himself.”
It was Walters who took Wang under his wing early after his arrival in Canada, with Walters’ father chauffeuring the player to practices and games. Another benefit was Wang’s mother, Willa, who was so inspired by her son’s passion for hockey, she became an ice-rink developer in China and she eventually purchased the Ontario Junior Hockey League team where her son played.
The plan for Wang now is to compete in the OHL next season before making the jump to Boston University, where his older brother completed his post-graduate studies.
“When I was 12, I had a very naive belief in me that I’m going to make it,” he said. “But I’m here right now and not taking any moment for granted. I’m still learning, and I might be still behind a lot of guys, but my potential and what I can become as a player, that’s what’s really exciting about me.”