A seventh-round pick in the NHL draft is traditionally a small deal. But on Saturday, the San Jose Sharks changed that, making a big decision by selecting 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov. The 18-year-old became the tallest player ever drafted.
Karmanov also made history by becoming the first Moldovan-born player drafted into the NHL when the Sharks selected him with the 201st pick at the NHL draft in Buffalo, New York.
The 280-pound Karmanov spent the 2025-26 season with the Brantford Titans in the Greater Ontario Hockey League before playing 20 games for the North Bay Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League. He is slated to spend next season with the Battalion before playing college hockey at Penn State in 2027.