San Jose Sharks
· 2026-06-29
The San Jose Sharks selected goalie Brady Knowling and 7-foot defenseman Alexander Karmanov on the final day of the NHL draft.
The Sharks finished the 2025-2026 season with a 39-35 record, standing 11th in the Western Conference on a W1 streak.
The Sharks made three picks, including Knowling at 127th overall and Karmanov at 201st overall.
Karmanov is the tallest player ever drafted into the NHL, listed at 7 feet tall and 265 pounds.
Brady Knowling, 18, posted a 15-12-0 record with an .880 save percentage in 33 games with the U.S. National U18 Team.
Knowling will play with Saginaw of the OHL next season and has committed to Boston University for 2027-28.
The Sharks traded the 27th, 62nd, and 120th overall selections to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday for the chance to take defenseman Ryan Lin.
The Sharks began the draft by taking winger Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 and North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9.
The team's senior vice president of SAP Center & Sharks Ice, Jon Gustafson, has a son, Jake Gustafson, who was drafted by the Sharks at No. 174.
Jake Gustafson had 25 points in 68 games with Portland of the WHL this past season.
The Sharks are looking to improve their standing in the Western Conference, currently 11th with a 39-35 record as of June 29, 2026.