The 17-year-old defenceman – who is over seven feet all – was born in Moldova, a landlocked country in Eastern Europe

Alexander Karmanov arrived at North Bay Memorial Gardens for the first time on Wednesday. 

The 7’1″ defender attracts attention almost every time he arrives at a hockey rink. 

The 17-year-old defenceman was born in Moldova, a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north.

The North Bay Battalion acquired him after the Brantford Bulldogs, who selected him in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, released him to make room for another import. 

The defender, who has been dubbed “The biggest hockey player on the planet,” was selected with the 172nd pick in the 2025 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) import draft by the Bulldogs, who sent him to their affiliate Jr. B club.   

So far this season, Karmanov has netted 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points in 15 games with the Brantford Titans of the Greater Ontario Junior B Hockey League.(GOHL). 

The “friendly giant” towered over the media backdrop where the media gather every Wednesday for interviews. 

Karmanov played U18 AAA hockey in Pennsylvania last year in Wilkes-Barre-Scranton before moving to Brantford after the import draft. He says the move to North Bay is just another step in his hockey career. 

“It is an opportunity to be better, to have progress,” he said. 

“It’s the next step. So for me, it is to become better every day. This is my role, and this is a place where I can be better.” 

See related: Battalion acquires biggest player in CHL history

Adam Dennis, president and director of hockey operations with the Battalion, jumped on the opportunity to sign Karmanov after they moved import forward Iggy Pazii to Flint last weekend. 

“We certainly watched him last season, heading into the import draft, and just to see some of the improvements that he’s made in his game,” he explained.  

“He’s developing at a rapid rate, and I think when you have that will and determination, you can really go a long way with it. So he sacrificed a lot to be here. He has done things that the average 17-year-old hasn’t been through yet, but he wants to be a hockey player, and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

Coach Ryan Oulahen is excited to get to know his new defenceman. 

“The story is amazing, what he’s had to go through and how he’s had to work and the things that he’s done in his minor hockey career,” said Oulahen.  

“And this guy wants to be a hockey player. So it’s just oozing out of him, and that is super intriguing.”

The big man says growing up in Moldova, he has always loved hockey and looks up to (not literally) other big NHL defenders like Nikita Zadorov and Victor Hedman.  

Dennis says they will take some time with Karmanov, getting him working with defence coach Bill Houlder. 

The Battalion hockey operations will take its time getting him prepared for his first OHL action. 

“So we’re certainly going to take our time and be patient,” noted Dennis.  

“Make sure we put him into opportunities that we feel he can succeed in. But we’re looking forward to working with Alex and helping him along in his journey. I think that we’re not going to put too many expectations. We’re just going to help him get better and see where it takes us.” 

Karmanov Ride Along 

Dennis notes that 6’7″ Battalion overage defender Bronson Ride can be a good mentor for the rookie defender who is eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and is committed to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at Penn State in 2027-28. 

“When you’re a bigger guy, you’ve got different things to worry about. And I’ve said it for a long time, ‘everybody’s superpowers are their weakness,’ until they can harness it,” said Dennis.

“I think playing against smaller guys sometimes, when you have bigger spaces to put pucks through, you’re getting used to some of the things like that, but Bronson would have had the same things to deal with and contend with, and he’s a couple of years ahead. So I think there’s a lot of similarities, and I think when you have somebody that’s had similar things to go through, there’s obviously that bond immediately.”

Brazeau Similarities? 

Both Dennis and coach Ryan Oulahen believe Karmanov is a prospect and not a project. 

However, both coach Oulahen and Dennis admit there are some parallels to another towering Battalion prospect who came in raw and has developed into an everyday NHL player. That’s 6’6″ Pittsburgh Penguins forward Justin Brazeau. 

“I think that’s a really good comparison, in a different way, but yeah, like when you saw Justin Brazeau, who had not filled out that frame yet, when he was 15, 16, I remember his first camp, and then we couldn’t believe the difference within a year. And then obviously now he’s doing it at a pretty high level in the NHL. So that’s a really good point.” 

More Than Just Size 

Karmanov is excited about this new opportunity. 

Aside from his size, he had something to share about himself that he wanted people to know.

“I’m a funny, nice guy,” he said with a smile.