6'9" Karmanov rewrites NHL draft books at 201st overall
San Jose selects the tallest player ever in the 2026 draft, turning late-round risk into a league-wide talking point.
Alexander Karmanov made NHL history Saturday when the selected him 201st overall in the seventh round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. At 6-foot-9, Karmanov shattered the previous record for tallest player ever drafted, surpassing the mark set by the Buffalo Sabres’ selection of 6-foot-8 defenseman Ville Siren in 2019. The Sharks’ decision to draft Karmanov in the final round underscores the NHL’s increasing tolerance for late-round gambles on towering prospects, particularly at the defenseman position.
