Photo by Steven Ellis
The hottest ticket in the OJHL this year? The King Rebellion. The reason? Towering defenseman Simon Wang (who is also listed as Haoxi Wang), a 6-foot-6, 210-pound prospect for the 2025 NHL draft who has scouts coming out in droves to watch him.
According to Rebellion coach Mark Joslin, the Rebellion have counted more than 20 NHL scouts per home game so far this season, and having attended King’s recent game against the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, I can attest to that.
Wang, a Boston University commit, is a raw talent whose upside was on full display in the third period of that game when he picked up the puck in his own zone and marched it down the ice, weaving past Toronto players before entering the offensive zone and getting the better of a big collision with an opponent.
Born in China, Wang started playing hockey when he was four-and-a-half. He came to Canada when he was 12 and has played here ever since, save for a pandemic year when he went back to China. Not only does he have an excellent frame to build on, but he’s also a great skater, which is why NHL teams are so intrigued by the youngster. And given that he can still add a bunch of strength and muscle to his frame, the upside is beguiling.
“I was always tall as a kid,” Wang said. “I was growing two or three inches a year. When I first got to Canada, my skating was pretty sloppy because my body hadn’t filled in yet. But as I grew older and started working out, getting my core and agility going…my feet have always been good, but the skating used to look sluggish. I started figuring it out this summer and I think it will only get better.”
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With 10 points through 14 games with King, Wang has shown he can create – but he can also destroy with a crunching physical game. To that end, his favorite NHLers to watch include Victor Hedman (size-wise, an obvious comparable) and Miro Heiskanen, but also a relatively new talent.
“The player that fits me the most right now is Mason Lohrei from the Boston Bruins,” he said. “He plays a tough game and a skill game at the same time, so I want to play like him.”
There’s a possibility Wang will be in the same city as Lohrei next year, as right now the plan is to join the Terriers for 2025-26 – though that could always be pushed back a year, depending on what’s best for Wang’s development. His USHL rights are owned by the Lincoln Stars, and he may get into some games with them during this season, which would be a great challenge for the teen (Oshawa owns his major junior rights). Either way, Wang knows Boston U is ultimately the place for him.
“My brother actually went to BU for his masters’ degree, so I knew the campus was nice,” he said. “I went there for a hockey camp a couple years ago and I went for a visit and the facilities were phenomenal. I was sold. Boston is such a nice city. My brother also went to high school there so I’ve been there a lot.”
Wang’s family certainly has an international flair, with his mom going between here and China. In the interim, Wang has lived on his own for stretches. And how does his place look?
“It’s a little bit messy, not gonna lie,” he said with a smile. “She comes back to make the house look like home again, and it’s always nice to have her back.”
The kid has a strong support system, with family advisor John Walters running point. Wang has a great mindset, and it’s clear he has his priorities straight when it comes to his hockey career – even with an amount of attention on him that is rare for an OJHL prospect.
“It’s obviously a great time and a lot of pressure, but I just want to play my game,” he said. “I go back to my basics – stickhandling and shooting every morning before practice, getting the details dialed in. I have a notebook where I write down every goal I want to achieve in a day and if I don’t, I try to do it again the next day. If I stick to achieving the little goals, the big goals will come.”
Proud of his Chinese roots, Wang said that once his playing days are finished, he would love to give back to the hockey community in China by teaching the next generation. By that time, he could be regaling the kids with stories of a long NHL career. But as for now, he’s just getting started…
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