‘Largest hockey player on the planet’: Brantford picks 7-foot, 273-pound defenseman in CHL import draft

The Brantford Bulldogs selected 7-foot-tall, 273-pound defenseman Alexander Karmanov with the 172nd pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on Wednesday. (X/@BulldogsOHL)

BRANTFORD, Ont. — The Brantford Bulldogs selected 7-foot-tall, 273-pound defenseman Alexander Karmanov with the 172nd pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on Wednesday.

The Ontario Hockey League club in a social media post announcing the choice called the 17-year-old the “largest hockey player on the planet.” Karmanov would be the tallest junior player in the CHL, and, according to Elite Prospects, he is the tallest active registered hockey player in the world.

Recently elected Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara at 6-foot-9 is the tallest player in NHL history. New York Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe, also listed at 6-9, is the tallest currently in the league.

Karmanov, who would also be the first player to make the CHL from Moldova, played last season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights and had 34 points in 36 games at multiple levels of their program. Last summer, at age 16, he committed to play college hockey at Penn State in 2027.