STICKING ON A PATH TO NHL

Born in Beijing and developed in Toronto, China's teen hockey prospect Wang Haoxi is proud to stand tall for his country on the sport's biggest stage, as he navigates the challenges, on and off ice, to deliver on his promise in the NHL.

Picking up the sport at four years old, drawn by the cool-looking superhero-esque gear, Wang couldn't have imagined how far or where his naive interest in what was a niche sport in China back then would take him. No one could.

Fast-forward 14 years, and the young adult has etched his name in the sport's history after being picked by the San Jose Sharks at 33rd overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, becoming the highest-selected Chinese player in the league's history.

From just hanging out with friends on the ice, to pursuing a serious career in one of the world's most physically competitive sports, Wang has stayed true to his passion for hockey, which has carried him on his tough journey to reach the spotlight of the big league.

Leaning in on that passion is what has helped Wang get his foot in the door.

"I think, at the start, it was definitely just having fun, goofing around with my friends on the ice, having a great time and just being kids," Wang, who just turned 18 on Sunday, told China Daily in Beijing after leading his home city squad to win the U18 national championship last week.

"And, then, when I got older, I got a little bit competitive. I wanted to win, and I wanted to get better every single day," said Wang, who's known as Simon in Canada since arriving in Toronto at 12 years old, alone, to pursue more legitimate opportunities for junior development.

"Soon, I realized I just couldn't live without hockey, to be honest. I knew I had something really special in my heart, and that this might be my career."

Wang isn't the first Chinese puckster to be drafted into the NHL, though, as his senior hometown compatriot Song Andong was pick 172, drafted by the New York Islanders, in 2015. However, Song failed to earn a big league contract or lace up in an NHL game.

From being drafted to playing in the league is another journey in itself. There remains a long way to go for most raw recruits with Wang's potential, usually having to hone their game in minor leagues or the NCAA for a few more years, until they can prove themselves strong and fit enough to meet the elite criteria of an NHL contender.

Wang is fully aware of the gap, and has decided to play one more season with the Oshawa Generals in Canada's Ontario Hockey League, before reporting to Boston University for more grind in the NCAA D1 program until he's ready to make the step up.

He's adamant about accomplishing a feat that very few Chinese-born prospects, including North Americans with Chinese heritage, have.

"It's just a new beginning from here, and my goal is to become the first Chinese player to ever suit up in an official NHL game," he said.

His self-confidence stems from his apparent talent, which is housed in an imposing 6-foot-5(1.98m), 215-pound (100kg) frame, and an adroitness on skates that belies his size. Perhaps more importantly, it's backed up by the quality drills he's experienced by working his way up the junior ranks in Canada — where the sport is a borderline religion — over the past five years.

Strong family support has also played a huge part in Wang's steady growth, underlined by his mother, Willa, even starting a business around his son's interest.

To ensure her son had greater access to drills at home and in Canada, Willa raised money to build a makeshift rink near their house in west Beijing. She now runs multiple ice sports centers in China as president of Beijing-based company Xinghongao Sports and Culture.

While building her frozen empire, she purchased Wang's Ontario Junior Hockey League club King Rebellion.

Beijing's successful bid and later hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics gave a strong push to hockey promotion, consolidating the family's faith in pushing Wang forward in the sport.

"The government put so much money into encouraging the children to (be involved) in these sports, so I began to get involved in the business," Willa told The Athletic.

Thanks to his own dedication to hockey while balancing study pressure and overcoming culture shock, Wang's game grew faster than expected, helped by his advisor John Walters of The Will Sports Group and John's dad Joe, who drove him to games and offered him tips.

Wang said his hockey IQ was sharpened during those car rides.

"He really put the game in front of me piece-by-piece. That's when I really started to develop my overall game and then started to develop my other skills," said Wang, who helped the Generals reach the league championship series with five assists in 53 total games in his first OHL season last year.

Looking forward, Wang said his ultimate dream also involves representing China on the international stage alongside the country's native-born, overseas-developed younger generation.

"I know a lot of (Chinese) kids in Toronto, and they have a really good future ahead of them," said Wang.

"I am really excited for them, and for the rise of Chinese hockey that we're going to see in the next five to 10 years. And I can only imagine (the game's development in China) is going to get faster and faster."