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Sharks Draft 7-Foot Moldovan-Born Prospect Karmanov

6/28/2026

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Summary

Sharks Draft Karmanov

San Jose Sharks selected Alexander Karmanov 201st in 2026 NHL Draft.
At 7 ft 1 in, he became the tallest prospect drafted and the first Moldovan-born player for Russia.
Despite a Central Scouting rank of 214th, he posted seven points and 68 minutes in 15 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) games and two Ontario Hockey League (OHL) assists, and will return to North Bay Battalion for 2026-27 and Penn State in 2027-28.

Summary

Bulldogs Draft Pick

The player was selected by the Brantford Bulldogs in the CHL Import Draft before signing with the North Bay Battalion in late November.
He appeared in 20 OHL games for North Bay, recording zero goals, two assists and 29 penalty minutes.
During the 2024-25 season he played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights under-16 team.

History

Historical Context

After the New York Rangers broke a 54-year drought by winning the 1994 Stanley Cup—engraving the first Russian-trained players and fielding a record 12 Europeans—the NHL’s European profile surged, drawing nearly 5 million Canadian viewers. That breakthrough paved the way for the San Jose Sharks to select Moldovan-born forward Alexander Karmanov in the 2026 draft, extending the league’s reach into non-traditional hockey nations.

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Sharks Draft Karmanov

San Jose Sharks selected Alexander Karmanov 201st in 2026 NHL Draft.
At 7 ft 1 in, he became the tallest prospect drafted and the first Moldovan-born player for Russia.
Despite a Central Scouting rank of 214th, he posted seven points and 68 minutes in 15 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) games and two Ontario Hockey League (OHL) assists, and will return to North Bay Battalion for 2026-27 and Penn State in 2027-28.

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