The Vancouver Canucks lost their tallest player in franchise history before the trade deadline.
Apparently, their way of mitigating the loss of Tyler Myers, was to acquire an even bigger player.
Standing at 6-foot-9, Curtis Douglas is tied for being among the tallest players in NHL history. Only two other players have checked in at the same height: retired defenceman Zdeno Chara and current New York Rangers winger Matt Rempe.
There have been 35 players in NHL history who have checked in at 6-foot-7 or taller. Ironically, six of them have played for the Canucks.
With some players being really tall but a little slight (hello, Marcus Pettersson), here’s a look at the largest humans, with height and weight combined, to ever play for the Canucks.
All height and weight stats are according to NHL.com.
1. Nikita Tryamkin
Height: 200 cm (6-foot-7)
Weight: 265 pounds
Combined total: 465
He didn’t quite turn out to be Chara 2.0.
However, hulking defenceman Nikita Tryamkin can say he’s made Canucks history as the largest human to ever suit up for the team.
2. Nikita Zadorov
Height: 200 cm (6-foot-7)
Weight: 255 pounds
Combined total: 455
While he wasn’t quite as mysterious as Tryamkin, Nikita Zadorov immediately became one of the most likeable figures on the Canucks back in 2023-24.
The Canucks haven’t just missed his size, as the team hasn’t been the same since he left in the summer of 2024.
3. Chris McAllister
Height: 200 cm (6-foot-7)
Weight: 250 pounds
Combined total: 450
A relic of the darkest period in Canucks history before now, hulking 6-foot-7 defenceman Chris McAllister spent two seasons with the Canucks during the Mike Keenan era.
The massive defenceman from Saskatoon had just four career goals, but he managed to stick around for 301 NHL games.
4. Curtis Douglas
Height: 205 cm (6-foot-9)
Weight: 242 pounds
Combined total: 447
Douglas might be the tallest player in Canucks history, but when you factor in weight, he’s not the largest human.
The Oakville, Ontario native is still searching for his first NHL goal.
5. Martin Grenier
Height: 195 cm (6-foot-5)
Weight: 245 pounds
Combined total: 440
Martin Grenier might best be remembered for the trades he was involved in. The 6-foot-5 defenceman was involved in the Ray Bourque trade in 2000, which saw him go on to win a Stanley Cup with Colorado.
Grenier scored his only NHL goal with the Canucks, adding one scrap as well.
6. Marek Malik
Height: 198 cm (6-foot-6)
Weight: 235 pounds
Combined total: 426
Everyone loves a big man with some moves.
But before Malik ended the longest shootout in NHL history, he had two seasons with the Canucks, one in which he had an NHL-best +35 in 2003-04.
7. Fedor Fedorov
Height: 193 cm (6-foot-4)
Weight: 240 pounds
Combined total: 433
Fedor Fedorov is certainly a little heavier than his 200-pound brother, Sergei Fedorov.
And while his weight might come as a surprise, he did clock in at 251 pounds during the end of his playing career in the KHL.
Unfortunately for Fedorov, his size didn’t help him against Kevin Bieksa.
8. Tyler Myers
Height: 203 cm (6-foot-8)
Weight: 228 pounds
Combined total: 431
For years, Myers was the tallest player in Canucks history.
While he can’t claim that anymore, Myers is now the first Texas-born NHLer to ever play for the Dallas Stars.
9. Jassen Cullimore
Height: 195 cm (6-foot-5)
Weight: 235 pounds
Combined total: 430
While Jassen Cullimore was one of the largest humans in Canucks history, he was traded for someone slightly smaller, but much more menacing.
Cullimore was traded from the Canucks to the Montreal Canadiens in 1996, in exchange for Donald Brashear.
10. Anders Nilsson
Height: 198 cm (6-foot-6)
Weight: 232 pounds
Combined total: 428
It takes a pretty big dude to make former Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom look small.
(Canucks TV)
Although both goaltenders stood at 6-foot-6, Nilsson was 25 pounds heavier than his Swedish counterpart.
That leaves him as the largest human to ever tend a net for the Canucks, just slightly ahead of current Vancouver goaltender, Nikita Tolopilo.
Honourable Mentions: Shawn Antoski, Donald Brashear, Mats Sundin, Mattias Ohlund, Vincent Desharnais, Nikita Tolopilo
