The now-17-year-old defenceman, who is now known as Simon, is set to become the third Chinese-born player picked in NHL draft
Invited to watch his first ice hockey practice at an ice rink in Beijing, Wang Haoxi was no different from any impressionable, wide-eyed four-year-old being fascinated by the equipment the players wore.
They resembled superheroes with sticks, uniforms and bulging pads, their faces hidden behind helmeted cages. This was before the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, when hockey was a niche sport in China and the NHL a mere pipe dream.
“It was definitely the gear,” the 6-foot 5-inch, 215-pound (1.96m, 98kg) – and still growing – defenceman who goes by Simon said earlier this month.
“Something just clicked inside of me, and I just fell in love with the game,” he said. “Right away, I told my mom I need to get out there as soon as possible. And I probably went on the ice the next day or so.”
