Sharks Have BIG 7th Round, Make History With Karmanov Pick

BUFFALO — The San Jose Sharks not only had a big weekend in terms of success, but they made history with their 7th-round pick.

With the 201st pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Sharks selected defenseman Alexander Karmanov. Karmov is officially the tallest player to be drafted into the NHL, standing at a whopping 7-foot-1.

Karmanov was born in Moldova, making him the first player from that nation ever selected in the NHL Draft. The San Jose Sharks’ version of Victor Wembanyama played 20 games in the OHL this season with the North Bay Battalion. He only registered two assists, but at his size, you’re looking for goal prevention.

“You talk about his size. There’s athleticism there. There’s some untapped, raw project type of player,” Sharks Director of Amateur Scouting Chris Morehouse said. “Obviously, he’s not going to get any smaller. We like the potential that could be here. We obviously understand it’s going to be a long-term project, [but he’s] a great kid. He wants to work.”

Karmanov is set to play another year with the Battalion, but he is committed to Penn State University for the 27-28 season. One advantage that Karmanov has is his choice to come to North America before he was drafted. A player his size will take time to adjust to the smaller ice surface, a traditional NHL rink.

Karmanov went viral in the past for his stature and met former San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns. Note that the picture was taken while Burns was with the Carolina Hurricanes. That means Karmanov was not even 18 years old in the photo. Burns, who is not small at 6-foot-5, looked tiny next to Karmanov.

There is a chance Karmanov will be at Sharks development camp this week, as he skated in Florida at agent Dan Milstein’s russian prospect skate. Morehouse wasn’t sure what his status is, but if he’s there, he’ll be easy to spot.