Hockey players may come in all shapes and sizes, but for teenage sensation Alexander Karmanov, that size is nothing short of colossal.
Standing an impressive 7 feet tall, the 16-year-old WB/Scranton Knights defenceman is turning heads in hockey circles around the world. And it’s easy to see why.
Already committed to playing for Penn State in the NCAA sometime in the next few years, Karmanov is by far the biggest player in the AAA U16 league he currently plays in.
And he’s still growing.
His size isn’t the only thing drawing attention, though. Karmanov’s 2024-25 season is off to a stellar start, with seven goals and 13 points in just nine games. And as with many large defencemen, he already possesses a shot that could strike fear into the heart of any opposing goaltender.
Despite the Moldova native’s towering frame, he’s surprisingly agile on his feet. While he lacks speed, he glides across the ice with a grace that few would expect from a player his size.
Because people cannot get enough of Alexander Karmanov, some skating clips via Instagram. Have not seen a 7’0 hockey player before but I’d guess this is decent skating for that height. pic.twitter.com/cJUZTNCLMa
— Austin Kelly (@AustinReporting) August 2, 2024
According to Scranton’s bench boss, Karmanov has his eyes set on a future in hockey.
“He’s not going to stop improving. He’s motivated. He’s still a diamond in the rough,” Knights head coach Matt Reid said in a recent interview with Nicolas Cloutier of TVA Sports. “There’s no player on this planet who’s seven feet tall and skates like him.”
If his progress leads him to the NHL one day, Karmanov — who is draft eligible in 2026 — would not only be the tallest player the league has ever seen. He’d also be the heaviest among current players, weighing in at 273 pounds.
For context, the tallest player to ever play in the league was former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who measured in at 6-foot-9. The heaviest? At the moment, that honour belongs to Seattle Kraken blueliner Jamie Oleksiak, who tips the scale at 256 pounds.
Karmanov, whose player page continues to trend on EliteProspects.com, still has a few crucial years of development ahead of him before hockey scouts can fully assess his potential. For now, he’ll continue filling some very big skates — literally.