'Largest hockey player on the planet': What we know about the 7-foot defenceman heading to Ontario

An Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team has drafted a seven-foot-tall defenceman. The Brantford Bulldogs selected Alexander Karmanov during the 2025 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft and referred to him as “the largest hockey player on the planet” in a social media post announcing him as the 172nd overall selection. Here’s what we know about the 273-pound hockey player.

Where is Alexander Karmanov from?

Karmanov was born in Chisinau, Moldova, on March 22, 2008. The 17-year-old is both Moldovan and Russian.