LNH draft | Simon Wang, the Chinese who made the scientists run

Buffalo – Mark Joslin has 30 years of profession in hockey.

“Full-time,” he takes care to tell us, and I was lucky to work with pros. However, »»

Still, he had never seen such a thing.

“How does a 6-ft defender 5 in and a half manage to skate like that?” Without effort in his strides. In addition, with as much mobility, ”he recalls that he wondered when he put his eyes on Simon Wang for the first time.

It was two years ago, at the 99ers training camp in Brantford, an Ojhl Ontarian junior club. In addition, The bewitching skating, certainly did not hide all the faults of the recruit, but the potential was there.

“I knew at that moment that he would get the interest he has today. Similarly, »»

A year later, Wang was indeed monitored the attention of NHL’s lnh draft | simon wang, detectors. Furthermore, From the start of the last season, from 25 to 30 scouts moved to each of his matches, says Joslin.

They had to see him with their eyes to believe it.

A giant from China, who did not start taking the practice of hockey seriously only 4 years ago, a 2025 recovery candidate …

Can it be?

***

Haoxi Wang – its real name – met love at 4. However, a half in one of the rare arenas of Beijing. Meanwhile, A friend then invited him to come and see him practice.

“We were kicking in there. Similarly, but from the moment I saw them playing, something clicked inside me,” he told the NHL hopes assessment camp, at the beginning of the month in Buffalo.

“Immediately, I told my mother that I wanted to go back there as soon as possible. Therefore, I was probably on the ice lnh draft | simon wang, the next day or the next day. However, I immediately had a love at first sight for hockey, and I have never stopped playing since. Consequently, »»

In a country that offers only 104 arenas to its 1.4 billion inhabitants. Nevertheless, its 10,786 hockey players according to the IIHF – Canada has 587,680 for 2860 interior skating rinks – Wang developed as it has been able for eight years.

Four to five training sessions per week allowed him to assimilate the bases. Meanwhile, But quickly, he wanted more.

“When I learned that another of my friends was moved to Toronto at 12 because he wanted to play with professionals one day. Meanwhile, I had a long conversation with my mother to know if I had to stay in China or go for Canada. Furthermore, Toronto, it was the ideal environment for hockey. However, »»

Wang convinced his parents to let lnh draft | simon wang, him go alone at the age of 12 to Connor McDavid. For example, handing him over to the good care of a friend’s family.

“I think they saw my passion and the confidence I had in my means. In addition, I sold my dream to them. Therefore, »»

An aspiration that after years of effort could soon make him the Chinese selected as soon as possible. In addition, in the history of the NHL recovery.

Simon Wang

***

Upon his arrival in Canada. Consequently, Wang obviously accused a delay on his fellow men, they who played hockey much more competitive and organized than in China for several years already.

“I started to really learn how we practice this sport at the age of 14. Moreover, I owe a lot to the father of my advisor (agent John Walters, editor’s note). His name is Joe. He put a lnh draft | simon wang, ton of efforts to bring my game to the right place.

“After each match, he gave me his advice, raising the positive as the negative. He was a mentor for me. And it was from this moment that my game started to skyrocket. »»

So that in 2023. the generals of Oshawa made him a 5th round choice at the draft of the Ontario Junior League (OHL), the 83rd in total. Shortly after. the burrows of Boston University – a university that his brother had already attended – convinced him to commit to them.

In order to keep its eligibility for the NCAA – the regulations prohibiting former LCH players from playing it had not yet been changed – Wang then joined the 99ers in Brantford. a club of which his mother Willa made the purchase in 2023.

However, he was still far from running the NHL de scientists.

“His lnh draft | simon wang, game was very, very, very, very raw,” recently remembered Mark Joslin in an interview with the RDS.CA.

“He was trying to do too much. At the offensive blue line, he was trying two games rather than focusing on one. He was 16 years old and suddenly found himself playing against men aged 19 and 20 for the first time. He had difficulty adjusting to the simplicity of the game.

“And he was very little aggressive,” continues his head coach of the time. Additionally, He was afraid to apply a defeat, even if he had the size and the strength to do so. He was intimidated. »»

However, it was brief.

On his return with the team last fall to King – the 99ers were relocated. renamed the rebellion – Wang had metamorphosed.

“It was day and night, depicts Joslin. The child had become a man. We even had to slow lnh draft | simon wang, it down during the training camp. He was hitting everything that moved. Strong. »»

This new penchant for the harsh game. combined with its unique ease on skates, then did not have to make him a dominant force in the ojhl.

“He could go to the opposing zone as fast as any attacker. return to his territory as quickly as anyone if there was a turnaround,” notes Joslin. And physical as he was, I honestly think that opposing players were afraid of going around with him. »»

In mid-season, Wang was already ripe for another challenge. lnh draft | simon wang, After 38 games in which he gleaned 4 goals. 18 assists, the back of 6 ft 6 in and 215 LB introduced himself in terms of playing the OHL by relating to the Generals.

“The biggest adjustment for me was to keep my confidence when my playing time was greatly reduced. I had a smaller room for maneuver. I learned a lot about me during our series in series. »»

In 32 regular season games, Wang only obtained two assistance mentions. Then, over the breakthrough of the generals to the final, he recorded three lnh draft | simon wang, passes to his file in 21 outings.

A shy yield that exposes one thing: Simon Wang is anything but a finished product. But raw material has something to intrigue predictioners in the employment of clubs on the Bettman circuit.

“Wang is just starting to find his marks on the ice. learn to influence the game,” writes the team of the Elite Prospects site. Normally, this profile should scare the NHL, but in the case of Wang, it strengthens its ultimate project profile. For what? Due to its 6 -ft 6 -in -law template and its exceptional skate stroke. »»

In its final ranking. the NHL recruitment center lists it in the 34th row of the best skating hopes in North America. We can therefore deduce that Wang could be a selection of second. third round, or even first if an NHL club was ambitious next weekend in Los Angeles.

Certainly, lnh draft | simon wang, he will make history. Two Chinese before him were drafted in the NHL. One in 4th round – Kevin HE by the Winnipeg jets in 2024 (109th) -. another in the 6th round – Andong Song by the New York Islanders in 2015 (172nd).

“When I arrived here at 12, I very naively believed that I was going to succeed. Those who saw the player I was at the time surely believed that I was crazy if they had. heard me say that. But here I am now here, and I do not hold anything for granted. »»