OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs take 7-foot defender Alexander Karmanov in CHL Import Draft

The Karmanov name might sound familiar to some. The left-handed shooting rearguard from Chisinau, Moldova stands 7-feet tall and weighs 273 pounds – did I mention he’s only 17 years old?

This isn’t the first time Karmanov’s name has been heard in connection with the higher ranks of amateur hockey. Last year, it was announced he has committed to Penn State University, and is expected to join the Nittany Lions in 2027.

Karmanov spent the 2024-25 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights Under-16 AAA program, his first year in North America. In 35 games, he scored 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points. That came after he spent the 2023-24 season playing in Russia with Vityaz Podolsk’s Under-16 team, as well as Pinskiye Yastreby in the Belarusian Under-18 league. In 25 recorded games, Karmanov scored nine points.

If everything goes according to plan for Karmanov, he would easily become the tallest player in the history of the OHL. Last year, Owen Sound Attack goaltender Trenten Bennett towered over his opponents at 6-foot-8. That height is one inch shorter than legendary defenseman Zdeno Chara, who still holds the record for the tallest player to ever appear in the NHL.

If Karmanov continues to progress, he would also easily be the tallest player to ever play D1 college hockey. The tallest player at the NCAA level last year was Clarkson University defender Jack Sparkes, who was reportedly 6-foot-8.

While it’s too early to tell what the ceiling is for Karmanov, there’s no question he’s on the path to at least touching it.