Defenseman Alexander Karmanov made history Saturday when the San Jose Sharks selected him with the 201st overall selection in the seventh round of the 2026 NHL draft.<\/p>\n
The NHL announced<\/a> that the 7’1″ Karmanov is the tallest player to ever get drafted:<\/p>\n Karmanov, who played for the OHL’s North Bay Battalion last season, also became the first player born in Moldova<\/a> to get selected in the NHL draft.<\/p>\n The selection of Karmanov is entirely about projection and potential since his experience and production at the major junior level are limited.<\/p>\n In 2025-26, Karmanov played in 15 games for the GOHL’s Brantford Titans, recording three goals and four assists for seven points.<\/p>\n Making the move from a Junior B league to the OHL, Karmanov had no goals and two assists in 20 games for North Bay.<\/p>\n A major positive working in Karmanov’s favor is his body composition, as NHL.com<\/a> lists him at 272 pounds, meaning he doesn’t have to add a ton of mass to his 7’1″ frame in the coming years.<\/p>\n If Karmanov eventually makes it to the NHL, he will make history once again as the tallest player to play in an NHL regular-season game.<\/p>\n