Zdeno Chara was much more than a tall hockey player.
But yeah, part of the legacy of the legendary Boston Bruins‘ defenseman is that he was really, really tall.
Chara stood 6-foot-9. That’s tied as the tallest player in NHL history.
One current player, New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe, is also 6-foot-9.
If everything goes right for a new draft pick, they could both dwarf in comparison to a new potential record holder.
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Someone taller than Zdeno Chara?
His name is Alexander Karmanov, and he was a late pick in the 2026 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks.
Karmanov stands 7-foot-1.
Yep, he looks more like a basketball center than a hockey defenseman.
There’s no guarantee Karmanov will ever make the NHL, but if he does, he’ll easily be the tallest player in league history, breaking Chara’s record.
“There has literally never been a bigger player to play high-level ice hockey,” Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis writes. “Listed as 7-foot-1 and 280 pounds by NHL Central Scouting, Karmanov is an absolute beast of a human being. Born in Chisinau, Moldova, Karmanov hopes to become the first countryman to be selected to the NHL and, hopefully, the first to play as well. Karmanov showed some promise in the GOJHL with the Brantford Titans, scoring three goals and totaling seven points, along with 68 penalty minutes, in 15 games. He got outmatched a bit more frequently with North Bay in the OHL, but it was hilarious watching smaller players go up to him and completely freak out. He also showed a lot more promise with the puck near the end of the season, too.”
Karmanov is committed to Penn State, and he’ll play college hockey before he goes any further.
Alexander Karmanov who is 7’1 is on the ice. He’s towering over the other skaters.
He is set to play at Penn State in 2027 but would become the tallest player to ever debut in the NHL if he were to make it. pic.twitter.com/aGoUHRizUR
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) July 2, 2026
You can’t teach height.
Chara had so much more than height.
It’ll take a lot more than height to get Karmanov to the NHL and break Chara’s record, too.
