Windsor Spitfires acquire San Jose Sharks prospect Alexander Karmanov from North Bay
The Windsor Spitfires have acquired San Jose Sharks prospect Alexander Karmanov from the North Bay Battalion in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2030 OHL Priority Selection.
Standing 7-foot-1, Karmanov made NHL history in June when the Sharks selected him in the seventh round, 201st overall, of the 2026 NHL Draft, making him the tallest player ever drafted into the league.
The 18-year-old defenceman, a native of Chisinau, Moldova, also became the first Moldovan-born player selected in the NHL Draft.
Karmanov has appeared in 31 OHL regular season games over parts of two seasons with North Bay after joining the Battalion in November 2025.
Originally selected by the Brantford Bulldogs in the third round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, Karmanov began last season with the Brantford Titans of the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL), recording three goals and four assists for seven points in 15 games before making the move to North Bay.
The towering blueliner went on to record two assists in 20 games with the Battalion during the 2025-26 season.
Karmanov’s development has drawn considerable attention throughout the hockey world. Before arriving in the OHL, he played minor hockey in Moldova, Russia and the United States, including time with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.
He has also committed to Penn State University, where he intends to continue his hockey career at the NCAA level.
The trade comes as North Bay makes changes to its import roster, with the Battalion also acquiring Russian forward Dmitry Savin from the Saginaw Spirit in exchange for Parker Vaughan and conditional draft selections.
Savin joins Arseny Pronin and Evgeny Dubrovtsev as North Bay’s three import players, with Karmanov moving to Windsor to accommodate the addition.
For the Spitfires, the deal adds an NHL-drafted defenceman with a unique physical presence to their blue line as they continue the 2026-27 OHL season.
