D Haoxi Simon Wang - Oshawa Generals, OHL (2025 Draft)

[Jacob]

I think even if I had a handful of late 1sts and wanted to take a flier on a kid there would be better players to take a flier on than him. Like Cooper Simpson or Veilleux.

 

[qcal1427]

I don't think there's a good comparable available because Wang is (presumably) going from the CHL to the NCAA as a result of the new rules opening up the CHL for the NCAA route. Until we get a statistically significant sample size of guys who go this route, hard to compare. I do think the extra years of development will really help Wang, but he definitely needs another year in junior, really take a step in the O before going to Boston University.

I agree with that. I don't think that a guy who is not ready for the NCAA in his D+1 is someone who you should think of taking in the first or even second round.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I agree with that. I don't think that a guy who is not ready for the NCAA in his D+1 is someone who you should think of taking in the first or even second round.

Blake Wheeler, Justin Schultz, Sam Rinzel played another year of junior (USHL, BCHL, USHL) before going to the NCAA, but you are right, it's a hard sell. Jackson Blake went from MN HS/partial season USHL in his DY to USHL in his D+1 & exploded before two monster production seasons at North Dakota. But all of the examples I mentioned are less raw than Wang appears to be.

Wang probably should go in the 3rd round, but I'll guess he goes in the 2nd. I need to do a better deep dive on his film to critique and/or praise his potential.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I agree with that. I don't think that a guy who is not ready for the NCAA in his D+1 is someone who you should think of taking in the first or even second round.

Sam Rinzel looked really nice in his cup of coffee. Late first three years ago and played his D+1 in ushl, likely fitting the “project” criteria.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The way BU has built out the D-core, I anticipate one more year of juniors.

Boumedienne-Amico
?-Schairer
Wang-Trethewey

That defense is stupid big and amazing skaters for their size.

Combine that with Bednarik, Murtagh, Shilov, Malhotra, Fondrk, Pridham, McNelis, Hughes, Svoboda, Morin upfront and Yegorov in net, and that team looks like they'll be there towards the latter rounds of the NCAA Tournament. But still a few years away and a lot could happen. They'll probably lose Boisvert, Eiserman, Hutson, and McCarthy off next year's team to the pros, but any of those guys returning would be amazing for the following year.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

When is the last time one of these projects that don't score in their D-1 to D+2 though has actually paid off? Tom Wilson?

I don't have a lot of names off the top of my head, but there are plenty of players that looking back on it 5 or 6 years after the fact you can look at their DY stats on EP (something I do for essentially every player whenever I review their thread in this section of the website), and they weren't high scoring players in their DY.

Almost all of the ones that fit into that category were not high picks, so that must be stated. That's probably why Wang should not be a high pick. He'd fit a very different mold, but there actually are plenty who end up good where you can look at their stats in their DY and they were nothing special or they played at a very low level in their DY like Junior A or Prep.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

If he falls to the 3rd round I'd bet money on the Ducks taking him. Pat loves his height, he plays with Sennecke so our scouts have probably seen a bit more of him than others, and the thought of putting him on a pairing with 6'4" Noah Warren would be kinda hilarious.

Plus we are stacked on LD prospects so there would be absolutely no rush on him.

 

[UpsideHockey]

Upside's latest profile: 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Haoxi Wang

 

[TheGreenTBer]

I've never watched this player, but if he's big and can skate as people imply he's probably going to be taken higher than expected because there's always a team that thinks they can develop players like this.

 

[wetcoast]

Sam Rinzel looked really nice in his cup of coffee. Late first three years ago and played his D+1 in ushl, likely fitting the “project” criteria.

Sam's skillset was also much more advanced, Wang is the definition of project here in that his hockey IQ might never come around.

 

[Rogie21]

Upside's latest profile: 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Haoxi Wang

Contrary to this profile, Wang will be back with Oshawa next season and join BU in 26-27.

 

[viceroy]

I'd love it if the Habs picked him up in the 3rd.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'd love it if the Habs picked him up in the 3rd.

Wouldn't touch him before the 5th round. There's no hockey ability, he's just a skater.

 

[dr1234]

Wouldn't touch him before the 5th round. There's no hockey ability, he's just a skater.

Yeah I feel like a lot of fans just want a big D taken in rounds 2-4 for their team but there are so many more nhl projectable options this draft than Wang this year.

I’d pick Rombach, Bedkowski, Bondar, Barnhill; maybe even Mace’O Phillips before Wang.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

He wasn’t that bad in the playoffs, albeit in a minimal role for a contender. You saw him staying within himself most of the time but he got himself into good shooting opportunities. A lot of teams need stability on the bottom pair and some draft that way. Late first round may be too rich for my taste but definitely a high-upside defense prospect. People went bananas on him early in the season but high second round or later would be a smart pick. He grew on me in the playoffs.