Sharks Draft 7‑Foot‑1 Defenseman Alexander Karmanov, Tallest Player Ever Selected
The 18-year-old Moldovan’s 7-foot-1, 280-pound frame marks him as a rare long-term project that will need major skating and conditioning work.
Overview
- San Jose used the 201st overall pick in the seventh round to select Alexander Karmanov on Sunday, a choice that makes him the tallest player ever drafted at 7-foot-1.
- Karmanov is expected to play the 2026–27 season with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion before beginning his committed move to Penn State for the 2027–28 season.
- Across the 2025–26 campaign he split time between the GOJHL’s Brantford Titans and the North Bay Battalion, posting seven points in 15 GOJHL games and two assists in 20 OHL games.
- Scouts widely flagged poor skating and significant developmental needs even as teams valued his size and reach, and he has faced practical hurdles such as custom equipment and travel from Moldova for ice time.
- As a late-round pick he is a classic developmental gamble whose upside rests on turning elite size into usable mobility and positioning rather than immediate NHL impact.