Haoxi Wang is a defenseman at 6’6” and 209 lbs. The Beijing, China native is a big, left-shot defenseman without the usual drawbacks of the typical big defenseman. Wang is a smooth skater for his size who can play in all three zones. Physical play and high-end mobility allow Wang to challenge attackers efficiently.
Wang can bend his knees and drop his lower body, allowing him to be a smooth-skating defenseman. Wang has all the tools of a first-round defensive prospect that make him intriguing. Since making the jump to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, Wang has jumped up the draft rankings given his ability to make the jump without making mistakes on the ice.
Haoxi Wang is seen as a late first-round to mid-second round prospect by the following rankings:
Ranked #36 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #34 by NHL Central Scouting
Ranked #43 by Daily Faceoff
Ranked #51 by Recruit Scouting
Ranked #49 by Sportsnet/Bukala
Ranked #31 by TSN/Bob McKenzie
Scouting Report:
Haoxi Wang is a big defensive prospect who uses his physical gifts to be a prospect who can defend in all three zones. Beyond this, Wang can skate fast and smoothly, whether it be through lateral pivots, crossovers, or backward strides. Wang’s ability to adjust to different levels of hockey suggest a high hockey IQ.
“This is a prospect who is just scratching the surface of what he can be. He’s got the size, and there’s some real skill to go with that. Players who have that combination are harder to find. There’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of getting him physically stronger and refining some of his reads and decision making, but you can see the tools, which is exciting,” says Chris Peters of FLO Hockey.
Projection:
Second Round – Montreal #41
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