Simon (Haoxi) Wang

Final Rankings – Wang is one of the rawest prospects in the draft, but his rare blend of size and skating makes him an intriguing long-term project. While his defensive game and decision-making need significant refinement, flashes of offensive awareness and strong tools offer upside if developed with patience and structure.—David Saad

June 2025—Starting the year in the OJHL, Wang had scouts salivating as a 6-5 D-man with standout skating ability.

To be fair, the expectations placed on Wang were ridiculously lofty. However, I also think it’s fair to say that his arrival in the OHL was disappointing. Wang picked up only 2 assists in 32 regular season games and was mostly glued to the bench throughout the Generals’ playoff run. More than that, Wang’s pressure-tolerance, breakout passing, and ability to make plays in the OZ were big points of struggle. He has a physical, athletic and technical profile that puts him a step ahead of many, but Wang will likely have a long development curve as he learns to think the game at a higher level.—Luke Sweeney