Alexander Karmanov was the center of attention at development camp.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what happens when you\u2019re 7-foot-1 and tower over San Jose Sharks legend \u201cJumbo\u201d Joe Thornton.<\/p>\n
Karmanov, selected by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round of the 2026 Draft, is the tallest player ever drafted in NHL history.<\/p>\n
The defenseman is raw, but San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy is excited to work with him, \u201cHe\u2019s a coachable kid, he takes feedback well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karmanov, also potentially the first NHL player ever from Moldova, spoke on why he fell in love with hockey, players that he looks up (or down) to, and getting penalized because of how tall he is.<\/p>\n
Alexander Karmanov, on how he fell in love with hockey:<\/p>\n
Just in childhood, I was a kid, when I was five, and I saw people playing in the lake.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s how fast it is. A lot of emotions. I don\u2019t think like any sports other than hockey can have [as] real emotions on the ice.<\/p>\n
Karmanov, on who he looks up to, including San Jose Sharks legend Brent Burns:<\/p>\n
Yeah, of course, I watch Chara. Now I\u2019m watching Zadorov, Chris Pronger. This is one of the guys like my game, all those guys, they play hard and physical, and also sometimes can make plays.<\/p>\n
I once, I think, I met Chara, but when I was like eight.<\/p>\n
Last year, I chatted with Brent Burns. Yesterday, I met Joe Thornton, and he said like they were great buddies.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re watching them, want to be like them, and now you\u2019re meeting them, [it\u2019s] kind of saying that you\u2019re going the right way.<\/p>\n
Verhoeff quipped that you have to go under Karmanov\u2019s legs to beat him in small area drills \ud83d\ude06<\/p>\n