A Closer Look at Alexander Karmanov
Standing against the glass at the 2026 Sharks Prospect Scrimmage to watch warm-ups, it is easy to get a sense for the incredible size and power of some of these players: Keaton Verhoeff stands at 6’4, Joshua Ravensbergen at 6’5, Haoxi (Simon) Wang at 6’6. Yet one prospect still towers above the rest.
At 7’1, Alexander Karmanov is the tallest player ever drafted by an NHL team. As a seventh-round pick, his path to the NHL is an uphill battle; despite this, Karmanov has some obvious advantages over other players, and he demonstrated these unique abilities in this year’s prospect scrimmage.
Making His Size Matter
With a 70-inch stick and a massive wingspan, the Moldovan defenseman can disrupt plays from a distance, as he showed when he poke checked the puck away from Gallant as he rushed the net. While he seemed careful not to throw full-force contact against his fellow prospects, he still landed some solid hits, even trapping Stenberg against the boards. One of the biggest crowd reactions of the game came when Karmanov dropped to his side and slid into the shooting lane to block Gustafson’s shot on goal.
More Than a Viral Moment
Karmanov has received an unusual amount of attention for a seventh-round pick. Videos of him at development camp have gone viral, with some viewers marveling at his size and others criticizing his skating and overall skill level. Some have noted that he looks slow when skating on his own, but when skating against an average-sized player, others struggle to keep up with his long, powerful strides.
In Karmanov’s case, development is not just about refining his hockey skills; it is also about learning how to use a frame that almost no other player has ever had.
A Different Development Curve
A young Zdeno Chara was also criticized for his unpolished skating, with his Bambi-like awkwardness becoming part of the story of his early development. Yet through hard work, training, and perseverance, Chara was able to become one of the most legendary defensemen in NHL history.
That does not mean Karmanov is “the next Chara”: he is four inches taller, was drafted several rounds later, and has a long way to go. But Chara is a useful reminder that awkwardness at an unusual size does not automatically mean a player lacks potential. Sometimes it just means the development curve looks different.
A Long Road Ahead for a One-of-a-Kind Prospect
During intermission, Joe Thornton spoke with Brodie Brazil about Karmanov, already showing a soft spot for another “jumbo” prospect:
“I’m a big fan of him already,” Thornton commented, smiling as he complimented the young defenseman: “...at 7’1, just for him to be able to skate and compete with these guys– his coordination is off the charts, and I’m just excited to see him grow.”
Karmanov still has a long road ahead of him if he is going to join the small percentage of seventh-round picks who become NHL regulars. He is expected to remain in the OHL with the North Bay Battalion for an additional year before joining Penn State for the 2027-28 season; following the trajectory of most defensemen and late-round picks, it will likely be several years before he gets a shot at the AHL or NHL.
For now, he is exactly the kind of late-round prospect who makes development camp fun: unusual, intriguing, and easy to root for. His size may be what draws the attention, but his reach, effort, and willingness to keep learning are what make him worth watching.
