Day 2 of the NHL draft is here, and the Sharks have the privilege of kicking off the day with the 33rd pick, and similar to day 1, they took another big swing on upside.
The Sharks selected Simon (Haoxi) Wang from the Oshawa Generals. Making him the highest drafted Chinese player in NHL history to date. The big defender is 6’6 with loads of upside to work with.
Wang was one of my best available after day 1, and is an excellent selection for the Sharks at 33, This is what i had to say on Wang, “Wang is a high-upside defense prospect that could be intriguing to Grier and company. While he hasn’t played a lot of high-level hockey to this point at 6’6, he skates like the wind and has two-way upside down the road.”
According to Elite Prospects “In Wang, you get all the advantages of size without the usual drawbacks that come with it. He can flex his lower body, bring his knees over his toes, and drop his upper body at just the right angle to enable fast and smooth lateral pivots, crossovers, and backward strides.”
Wang is a long-term project with a unique path in hockey. He split this season between the OJHL and OHL, with the King's Rebellion and the Oshawa Generals, respectively, and is expected to head to Boston University next season.
Wang will require a lot of patience with his development, and I expect he could spend the entire four years in college with BU. Still, as he gains reps and experience, he could be a significant piece for the Sharks down the road. This is an excellent pick for the Sharks and an incredible rise for Wang, who was relatively unknown going into the year.
Sharks pick again at 53. At this time, I will update you after every pick and trade throughout the day!