Zdeno Chara used to look down on the rest of the NHL. Alexander Karmanov would look down on Chara.
By the seventh round of the NHL Draft, clubs usually hunt for a tool, a path, or a reason to keep talking. San Jose found all three in Karmanov. The Sharks used pick 201 on the 18-year-old defenseman from Chisinau, Moldova, who became the tallest player ever selected in the NHL Draft. His NHL draft listing put him at 7-foot-1 and 272 pounds, although other public listings have carried him closer to 280.
His first OHL sample with North Bay was lean: 20 games, two assists, and 29 penalty minutes. Before that, he had three goals and four assists in 15 games with Brantford in the GOHL. That tells you what this pick is, and what it is not. San Jose did not draft production. It drafted an extreme frame, a long reach, and a player who now has to turn a viral measurement into usable defense.
Size Got Him Noticed. Skating Will Decide The Rest
Karmanov secured his spot in the NHL record book before playing a single shift. For a defenseman, 7-foot-1 changes the geometry of the rink. His stick can invade a passing lane from places most defensemen cannot reach. A routine poke check becomes a reach play. One sweep can push a rush outside before the puck carrier gets near the dots.
But the same body that gives Karmanov his selling point also creates the scouting problem. Edge work, ankle flexion, crossover speed, and hip rotation matter more when a player has that much body to control. If he gets flat-footed against a Jack Hughes-type entry, there will not be much time to recover. Size cannot bail out slow hips at NHL pace.
The scouting profile reflects that tension. His reach is the headline skill. His ability to use it early, before he starts chasing, will be the test. At the junior level, he can wrap up bodies along the wall and disrupt plays with one extension. Against faster players, forwards will attack his feet, cut under his stick, and force him to turn.
The Sharks’ official announcement put it simply: “You read that height correctly.”
That line captured the spectacle of the pick. The easy part is understanding why Karmanov went viral. A 7-foot-1 defenseman in hockey does not need marketing help. Karmanov now has to move the story from novelty to development.
A Moldovan First With A New NCAA Route
Karmanov also brings history beyond height. As the first Moldovan ever drafted, he added a national marker to a part of the draft that usually passes quietly. Central Scouting ranked him 214th among North American skaters, which placed him in long-shot territory. The ranking fits the player. Production was limited, and the skating questions are real. San Jose still had reason to swing.
His development route matters. Karmanov is expected to continue with North Bay before his Penn State commitment for 2027-28. That kind of path would have sounded wrong a few years ago because CHL players were historically blocked from NCAA hockey. The 2024 NCAA Division I rule change opened that door, allowing CHL players to play Division I hockey if they meet compensation requirements.
San Jose Is Buying Time, Not Certainty
That gives Karmanov a more flexible runway. CHL games can expose him to pace and pressure. College hockey can later give him structure, strength work, and more time to polish details away from the immediate NHL clock. Karmanov does not need to be close now. He needs reps.
For San Jose, this is exactly how a seventh-round pick should look: not safe, but rational. A team can live with a miss at 201. It cannot find many defensemen with Karmanov’s reach, size, and physical base. The gamble is whether the Sharks can help him become more than a body that blocks sightlines.
Karmanov’s next two seasons will be decided in cold details: first three strides, backward crossover pace, angle control, puck decisions under pressure, and whether he can use his reach without lunging himself out of position. Coaches will not need him to become small. They will need him to become efficient.
The record got him noticed. His skating, reads, and development habits will decide whether the Sharks find more than a draft day curiosity.
READ MORE: Penguins Draft Ruck Twins To Give Fading Pipeline A Needed Jolt
FAQs
Q1. How tall is Alexander Karmanov?
A. Alexander Karmanov is listed at 7-foot-1. That makes him the tallest player ever selected in the NHL Draft.
Q2. Which team drafted Alexander Karmanov?
A. The San Jose Sharks drafted Alexander Karmanov with pick 201 in the seventh round.
Q3. Where is Alexander Karmanov from?
A. Karmanov is from Chisinau, Moldova. He became the first Moldovan player ever drafted into the NHL.
Q4. Is Alexander Karmanov going to Penn State?
A. Karmanov is committed to Penn State for 2027-28. The NCAA rule change now allows eligible CHL players to play Division I hockey.
Q5. What is the biggest question about Alexander Karmanov?
A. Skating is the biggest question. His reach is rare, but he must improve his feet, reads and recovery speed.
Front row energy everywhere I go. Chasing championships and good times. 🏆🏁✨
