SAN JOSE -- When the San Jose Sharks selected Haoxi (Simon) Wang with the 33rd pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, they knew they weren't reaching for a player with high potential, mostly because the defenseman prospect has a pretty good reach of his own.
Wang, who will turn 19 on Monday, already has the size for a future in the NHL at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, and that reach, combined with his skating skills, makes for a dangerous combination for opponents trying to avoid him in the defensive zone.
"He's a foot taller than most kids on the ice most nights," said Dale DeGray, general manager of Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League, where Wang played last season. "Then to peel back the onion and see just how well he does skate, and he's got good puck skills -- they have to develop, but he has good puck skills.
"If he's here, he'll be a key player. He'll be power play. He'll be like Mr. Everything.
As long as [he] can go and play and be a part of it and add to the culture to the game that they've got going on at that level, then I think the kid can go and do well. He's going to play against bigger, stronger kids or young men at that point, right? And if not, listen, we'll welcome him back with open arms for sure.
Wang, who can become the first China-born player to play in the NHL, was born in Beijing and moved to Toronto when he was 12 to chase his dream of a hockey career. He has risen through the ranks and is now within sight of his ultimate goal after having 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 57 OHL games with Oshawa and Niagara last season.
He said he could feel the difference from his first Sharks development camp in 2025 to his second, which ended July 2.
"One hundred percent," Wang said. "With more time developing in the junior leagues, I definitely got better. At the same time, coming into camp, I want to show our coaching staff and our management what I improved on.
"What I wanted to bring is a complete game defenseman that could step up huge minutes in the OHL, and I just did that for the team. [I] tried my best to do everything to win.
Wang will take the next step in his hockey journey at Boston University this season.
"It's definitely exciting," he said of making the move to collegiate hockey. "I feel like it definitely gives me extreme motivation with my position, because whether it's fighting for my heritage, becoming the first Chinese defenseman to ever step in the NHL, that gives me extreme motivation.
Wang took a huge step forward in his second development camp; he wanted to show the San Jose organization he can be a leader and tried to be a big voice to prospects. He specifically highlighted two interactions with a pair of first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, forward Ivar Stenberg (No. 2) and defenseman Ryan Lin (No. 21).
"I'm always a really positive-thinking person," Wang said. "I am always thinking the glass is half full rather than half empty. This year, especially, some of the guys first-year coming in, are a little nervous.
(Lin) and I are always joking around. With (Stenberg), we always say hi and goof around a little bit here and there. I feel like building a bond with the new guys as well, and having fun.
DeGray said he sees Wang's leadership qualities translate to his on-ice play as well.
"You can tell when you watch him play that he can be the center of attention, not in an outwardly,'Hey, look at me' sort of a deal, but amongst his teammates. He's a feature. Like he's a structure.
You know what I mean? It's easy to gravitate to guys like that, especially when they're one of your better players.
Wang still has a long way to go to reach the NHL, but he's trending in the right direction.
"Today there's a ton of Asian kids out there shouting out Stenberg," Wang said with a smile,"but that's what we need. Getting more Asian people involved in the sport, and hopefully one day there's more Asian people going into the National Hockey League.