San Jose Sharks prospect Alexander Karmanov, the tallest player ever selected in the NHL Draft, dropped the gloves with Los Angeles Kings prospect Liam Lefebvre in a notable brawl during the 2026 Rookie Faceoff.
The incident occurred late in the third period of the Sharks' 8-1 victory on Saturday. Karmanov flattened Kings defenseman Jakub Dvorak, who left the game with an upper-body injury. This prompted several Kings players to confront Karmanov.
Lefebvre, listed at 6-foot-3, then stepped in to fight Karmanov. The 7-foot-1 Karmanov, weighing 280 pounds, used his significant reach advantage. The fight concluded with Lefebvre on the ice, after which Karmanov skated towards the penalty box, appearing to engage with the crowd.
Karmanov, who was born in Moldova, was selected by the Sharks with the 201st overall pick in June's NHL Draft. He has since become the tallest player ever drafted into the league.
Following the game, Karmanov commented on the altercation, stating, "I asked the guy if he wanted to go. Yeah, we went."