You knew was going to take him, and the San Jose Sharks called the behemoth Karmanov’s name in the 7th round. Read literally any article about Karmanov and you will read mostly about how he is seven feet tall, and not much else about his hockey skill. He is a raw work in progress, and though he is a wonderful story as not only the potential tallest NHL player ever, but a representative of Moldova, the first player ever drafted from that country.

Karmanov opened the season locally with the GOJHL Brantford Titans while attending Bulldogs activities after a late USHL selection by Fargo. Tape shows encouraging progress: more compact strides, solid edge control on resets, and a long reach that erases entries when his feet are set. He is still learning leverage, pivots under pressure, and how to turn retrievals into a first pass instead of a rim. If posture and small-area agility keep trending, a penalty-kill and matchup role comes into view. For fantasy, treat this as a deep hold for blocks, hits, and plus-minus; the offensive ceiling stays modest unless hands and deception take a real step, with a low-thirties points outcome only if secondary touches arrive.

Drafted by the Brantford Bulldogs in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, 172nd overall, Alexander Karmanov is attending training camp with the Bulldogs, looking to earn a roster spot with the Bulldogs and play in the Ontario Hockey League for the 2025-26 season.

Karmanov managed two assists in 20 OHL games last season, and the offensive flare may never come, but if he can leverage his immense size and reach advantage and hone a defensive shut down game, teams will be beside themselves trying to attack the net with a man who would cast a shadow on Zdeno Chara clearing the crease. Keep an eye on Karmanov, but set fantasy expectations accordingly.

Karmanov, a 17-year-old, 7-0, 273-pound defenseman from Moldova, played in North America during the 2024-25 season in Pennsylvania for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 16U AAA team. He scored 15 goals and added 18 assists for 33 points in 35 games with the Knights. Karmanov is committed to playing at Penn State University starting in the 2027-28 season.