Liam Lefebvre Engages in Dramatic Hockey Fight with Alexander Karmanov

Most individuals would hesitate to challenge a towering 7-foot-1, 280-pound hockey player. Liam Lefebvre is not one of those individuals.

During the 2026 Rookie Faceoff, Lefebvre, a Los Angeles Kings prospect, confronted San Jose Sharks prospect Alexander Karmanov. Karmanov, the tallest player ever selected in the NHL Draft, found himself in a late-game altercation with Lefebvre.

Earlier in the game, Karmanov’s physical play left Kings defenseman Jakub Dvorak injured. Several Kings players confronted Karmanov after the hit, leading to Lefebvre stepping up.

Lefebvre, declared 6-foot-3 and considerable by most standards, appeared diminutive next to Karmanov. Despite the size disparity, Lefebvre dropped his gloves. Karmanov, leveraging his reach advantage, prevailed, with Lefebvre ending up on the ice. After their fight, Karmanov skated to the penalty box, rallying San Jose fans to cheer louder.

The Sharks selected Karmanov with the 201st pick in the June NHL Draft. This choice made him the tallest ever drafted. Born in Moldova, Karmanov stood out not only for his stature but for his commanding presence on the ice.

Following the game, Karmanov commented that the fight was a natural progression of the game. “I asked the guy if he wanted to go. Yeah, we went,” he told reporters.