Meet the New Mavericks: Carter Southern

No. 59, freshman defenseman Carter Sotheran

Photo credit: Omaha Hockey

MavPuck is profiling the 11 newcomers on Omaha’s 2026-27 roster. Links to the previous profiles are at the bottom of the blog post.

Carter Sotheran played 267 regular-season games during his four-year WHL career. But some of his best offensive numbers came during his final 30 games.

After being traded from Portland to Edmonton in January, the 21-year-old defenseman recorded 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 30 games with the Oil Kings.

Three-and-a-Half Seasons in Portland
Sotheran, a native of Sanford, Manitoba, began his WHL career with the Portland Winterhawks in 2022-23. He recorded four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 68 games as a rookie.

His production jumped the following season, when Sotheran had 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 66 games. He added 33 points in 66 games in 2024-25.

Sotheran began his fourth WHL season with Portland and recorded six goals and 31 assists for 37 points in 37 games.

Then came a January trade.

A Big Finish in Edmonton
The Oil Kings acquired Sotheran from Portland on Jan. 6 in exchange for defenseman Niko Tsakumis and two draft picks, including a 2027 first-round pick.

Sotheran recorded 35 points in his 30 regular-season games with Edmonton.

His biggest night came Feb. 6 against Moose Jaw. Sotheran scored three goals and added two assists in an 11-4 Oil Kings win. He became just the second defenseman in Edmonton franchise history to record a hat trick.

The five-point game also came in his 250th career WHL regular-season game.

Combined with a goal and an assist against Medicine Hat earlier that week, Sotheran had seven points in two games and was named WHL Player of the Week.

A Flyers Draft Pick
Sotheran was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the fifth round — No. 135 overall — of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Philadelphia did not sign him to an entry-level contract before its rights expired in June 2025, making Sotheran an unrestricted free agent.

He returned to the WHL for his final junior season and committed to Omaha in March.

What He Brings to Omaha
Sotheran brings four seasons of WHL experience to Omaha.

He finished his final junior season with 19 goals and 53 assists for 72 points in 67 games between Portland and Edmonton.

At 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds, he also gives Omaha another big, right-shot defenseman.

One Thing to Know
Sotheran’s five-point game against Moose Jaw wasn’t his only big performance last season. He recorded at least three points in a game five times in 2025-26, including four points in Portland's season opener against Prince George.

What We’ll Be Watching
Sotheran’s offensive production increased during his final two WHL seasons. After recording 33 points in 66 games in 2024-25, he more than doubled that total with 72 points in 67 games last season.

We’ll be watching to see how that offensive production from the blue line translates to college hockey.

Carter Sotheran at a Glance:
Number: 59
Position: Defenseman
Class: Freshman

Nickname: Suds
Height/Weight: 6-4 / 198
Hometown: Sanford, Manitoba
Shoots: Right
Previous Team: Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
2025-26 WHL: 67 games, 19 goals, 53 assists, 72 points

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:
Arseni Marchenko 

Vincent Desjardins 
Maël Lavigne  
William Lacelle 
Lincoln Hjelm 
Gavin Hodnett 
Aiden Oiring  
Logan Wormald🪱 
Jayden Jubenvill 

Meet the New Mavericks: Arseni Marchenko

No. 43, freshman defenseman Arseni Marchenko

Photo credit: Omaha Hockey

MavPuck is profiling the 11 newcomers on Omaha’s 2026-27 roster. Links to the previous profiles are at the bottom of the blog post.

Arseni Marchenko brings size to Omaha's blue line.

The 6-foot-5, 212-pound defenseman comes to Omaha after two seasons in the USHL with the Chicago Steel and Fargo Force.

Before coming to the United States, Marchenko grew up playing hockey in his hometown of Minsk, Belarus.

Growing Up in Belarus
Marchenko played in the Dinamo Minsk system and represented Belarus at the youth level.

In 2022-23, he played 49 games for Team Belarus U17 in the country’s Vysshaya League, recording nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points.

The following season, Marchenko moved up to Team Belarus U18 and recorded nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points in 37 games in the Vysshaya League.

He added four goals and three assists in 13 playoff games.

Coming to the USHL
Marchenko moved to the United States for the 2024-25 season, joining the Chicago Steel.

He appeared in 52 games during his first USHL season, recording three goals and three assists.

Marchenko said the biggest adjustment from hockey in Belarus was the speed of the North American game.

“You make a decision quicker, faster. Everything is faster,” he told Fargo’s Jay Stanton in a WDAY radio interview.

He said playing in the USHL helped him learn to think faster and move his feet quicker.

He was traded to the Fargo Force in July 2025 and spent his final junior season there.

Marchenko recorded two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 59 regular-season games and finished with a plus-21 rating.

A Playoff Goal
Marchenko’s only goal of the 2026 USHL playoffs came with Fargo trying to keep its season alive.

The Force trailed Sioux Falls 2-1 in the best-of-five Western Conference Final when the teams met for Game 4 in Fargo.

Marchenko opened the scoring with a first-period goal to give the Force a 1-0 lead.

Sioux Falls came back to win 2-1 in overtime, forcing a deciding Game 5.

Marchenko finished the playoffs with a goal and an assist in nine games.

Why Omaha?
For Marchenko, the decision to come to Omaha was pretty simple.

“I just feel it. I feel like it’s my spot,” he said during his final season with Fargo.

Marchenko said he liked Omaha when he visited and felt comfortable with the coaching staff.

What He Brings to Omaha
At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, Marchenko adds size to Omaha’s defense.

He also gives the Mavericks another right-shot defenseman.

Marchenko played 111 regular-season games over his two years in the USHL, giving him two full seasons of experience on North American ice before arriving at Omaha.

One Thing to Know
Marchenko comes from a family of athletes.

In his letter to Maverick fans, he wrote that his parents were champion rowers, his older sister won an NCAA title at Louisville, and his younger sister is a talented equestrian.

But hockey was his sport.

“My parents put me on skates at three, and they never stopped supporting me — buying gear I quickly outgrew, paying fees, and sitting in cold rinks for hours,” Marchenko wrote.

He also wrote about leaving home to play junior hockey in the United States and the billet families who took him in.

“They opened their hearts to me, and I never felt alone.”

What We’ll Be Watching
Marchenko put up strong offensive numbers from the blue line before coming to the United States, including 31 points in 37 games during his final season in Belarus.

In two USHL seasons, he recorded five goals and 12 assists in 111 games.

We’ll be watching to see if more of that offensive side of his game emerges at Omaha.

Arseni Marchenko at a Glance:
Number: 43
Position: Defenseman
Class: Freshman
Nickname: Marchy
Height/Weight: 6-5 / 212
Hometown: Minsk, Belarus
Shoots: Right
Previous Team: Fargo Force (USHL)
2025-26 USHL: 59 games, 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:

Vincent Desjardins 
Maël Lavigne  
William Lacelle 
Lincoln Hjelm 
Gavin Hodnett 
Aiden Oiring  
Logan Wormald🪱 
Jayden Jubenvill 

Wormy, Suds, Diesel, and Brettski: Meet the 2026-27 Mavericks by Their Nicknames

Video of tonight’s “Meet The Mavs” event in Aksarben Village.

Hear from Coach Gabinet and this season’s team!

🏒 pic.twitter.com/73cfvecNH2

— Mavpuck (@Mavpuck) September 28, 2026

By Bridget (Weide) Brooks

Omaha Hockey fans got a chance to meet the 2026-27 Mavericks Sunday night at the annual Meet the Mavs event at Sonny’s in Aksarben Village.

When it came time to introduce the team, Head Coach Mike Gabinet asked each player to give his name, nickname, and major.

So, what do the Mavericks call each other?

Here’s the list from the players themselves:

Luke Woodworth — “Woody”

Brett Hyland — “Threat” or “Brettski”
“The boys on the team usually call me Threat or Brettski,” Hyland said. “Either one works.”

Will Craig — “Craigie” or “Craiger”

Sean Tschigerl — “Shiggs” or “Shiggy”
Tschigerl said he’s also had “multiple other nicknames,” but went with Shiggs or Shiggy.

Lincoln Hjelm — “Link”

Marcus Broberg — “Brobes” or “Brobie”

Maxime Pellerin — “Max” or “Pells”

Arseni Marchenko — “Marchy”

Maël Lavigne — “Lavi”

William Lacelle — “Will” or “Willie”

Parker Berge — “Bergie”

Logan Wormald — “Worm” or “Wormy”

Marcus Nguyen — Nickname: “Marv”

Cam Briere — “Breezy” or “CB”

Jayden Jubenvill — “Jubes” or “Jubie”

Ryan McCleary — “Clears”

Joel Plante — “JP” or “Plonner”

Spencer Sova — “Soves”

Trevor Wong — “Wonger”

Aiden Oiring — “AO” or “O”

Vincent Desjardins — “Vince” or “Deji”

Marc Lajoie — Marc
The Omaha captain said he doesn’t really have a nickname. “Just go by Marc,” he said.

Carter Southern — “Suds”

Myles Hilman — “Hilly” or “Bill”

Gavin Hodnett — “Hods”

Dawson Cowan — “DC” or “Diesel”


The Coaches and Staff

The players weren’t the only ones sharing their nicknames.

Director of Hockey Operations Zach Vit is “Vitter.”

Assistant Coach Bennett Hambrook is “Hammer.”

Goaltending Coach Josh Robinson is “Robo.”

Athletic Trainer Josh Englebretson said he doesn’t think he has a nickname.

“We’ll work on that for Josh,” Gabinet said.

Now you’ll know who they’re talking about when you hear “Woody,” “Wormy,” “Suds,” “Diesel,” or “Brezky” around the Mavericks this season.

Omaha opens the 2026-27 season Friday night with an exhibition game at Air Force.

Meet the New Mavericks: Vincent Desjardins

No. 42, freshman forward Vincent Desjardins

Photo credit: Omaha Hockey

MavPuck is profiling the 11 newcomers on Omaha’s 2026-27 roster. Links to the previous profiles are at the bottom of the blog post.

Vincent Desjardins spent his entire QMJHL career with one team.

By the time he left the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, he had recorded 213 points in 210 regular-season games.

The 20-year-old forward is coming to Omaha after recording 81 and 78 points in his final two seasons, with 113 assists over those two years.

Four Seasons with the Armada
Desjardins, a native of Mirabel, Quebec, joined Blainville-Boisbriand during the 2022-23 season, appearing in 14 games and recording four goals and three assists.

He played his first full QMJHL season in 2023-24 and recorded 47 points in 68 games.

Then his offensive production took a big jump.

Desjardins recorded 18 goals and 63 assists for 81 points in 64 games in 2024-25.

He followed that with another 78 points in 64 games last season, scoring a career-high 28 goals and adding a team-leading 50 assists.

Desjardins also finished the season with a plus-41 rating and served as an alternate captain for the Armada.

A Familiar Group
Desjardins won't be the only former Armada player arriving in Omaha this season.

He played last season with fellow incoming Mavericks Maël Lavigne and William Lacelle.

The three helped Blainville-Boisbriand reach the QMJHL semifinals, where the Armada lost to Moncton in seven games.

Desjardins recorded four goals and four assists in 17 playoff games.

What He Brings to Omaha
The assist numbers are hard to miss. Desjardins led the Armada in assists in each of his final two seasons. 

Desjardins played center in the QMJHL, although Omaha lists him simply as a forward on its roster.

One Thing to Know
Desjardins got an NHL look this summer.

He was one of 29 players invited to the Ottawa Senators' 2026 development camp, held June 29-July 1 (along with #oldbull Kevin Reidler). 

What We’ll Be Watching
Desjardins has always been a playmaker, but his goal scoring took a jump in his final QMJHL season.

After scoring 18 goals in 2024-25, he scored a career-high 28 last season.

Vincent Desjardins at a Glance:
Number: 42
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman

Nickname: Vince
Height/Weight: 5-11 / 172
Hometown: Mirabel, Quebec
Shoots: Right
Previous Team: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
QMJHL Career: 210 games, 65 goals, 148 assists, 213 points

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:
Maël Lavigne  
William Lacelle 
Lincoln Hjelm 
Gavin Hodnett 
Aiden Oiring  
Logan Wormald🪱 
Jayden Jubenvill 

Meet the New Mavericks: Maël Lavigne

No. 39, freshman forward Maël Lavigne

Photo credit: Omaha Hockey

MavPuck is profiling the 11 newcomers on Omaha’s 2026-27 roster. Links to the previous profiles are at the bottom of the blog post.

Maël Lavigne played 315 regular-season games in the QMJHL before coming to Omaha. And he played for four different teams along the way.

The 21-year-old forward finished his major junior career with his best goal-scoring season, recording 22 goals and 48 points in 60 games for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

He added another 18 points in 17 playoff games as the Armada reached the QMJHL semifinals.

Five Seasons in the QMJHL
Lavigne, a native of Neuville, Quebec, began his QMJHL career with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in 2021-22.

He recorded eight goals and 11 assists in 59 games as a 16-year-old.

Lavigne began the following season with Baie-Comeau before being traded to Victoriaville. He spent parts of three seasons with the Tigres and was named captain for the 2024-25 season.

He had 12 goals and 22 assists in 32 games as Victoriaville’s captain before another trade sent him to Rimouski.

Lavigne finished the season with the Océanic, helping Rimouski reach the QMJHL championship series.

One More QMJHL Season
Lavigne was on the move again before his final junior season.

Blainville-Boisbriand acquired him from Rimouski in June 2025 in exchange for three draft picks, including a first-round pick.

He recorded 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 60 games with the Armada.

His 22 goals were a career high.

Lavigne also had a big postseason, recording eight goals and 10 assists in 17 games. 

A Very Long Game
One of those playoff goals came after midnight.

Blainville-Boisbriand and Moncton opened their QMJHL semifinal series on April 23 with a game that went to four overtimes.

At 7:48 of the fourth overtime, Lavigne scored on the power play to give the Armada a 3-2 win.

It was the fifth-longest game in QMJHL history and the longest game in Armada franchise history.

And there was another familiar name at the other end of the ice: William Lacelle made 38 saves for Blainville-Boisbriand.

What He Brings to Omaha
At 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, Lavigne will be one of the bigger forwards on Omaha’s roster.

He also brings five seasons of QMJHL experience.

Lavigne finished his major junior career with 315 regular-season games, 70 goals, and 111 assists for 181 points.

He also wore the “C” in Victoriaville during the first half of the 2024-25 season.

One Thing to Know
Lavigne got a look at the NHL level in September 2025.

He attended Calgary Flames prospects camp as a tryout and played in one of the Flames’ rookie games against Edmonton, scoring a goal.

Lavigne remained with Calgary through the opening days of main training camp before being released and returning to the QMJHL for his final season.

What We’ll Be Watching
Lavigne finished his final QMJHL regular season with 48 points in 60 games. 

His production picked up in the playoffs, when he recorded 18 points in 17 games, including eight goals.

Maël Lavigne at a Glance:
Number: 39
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Height/Weight: 6-4 / 196
Hometown: Neuville, Quebec
Shoots: Left
Previous Team: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
2025-26 QMJHL: 60 games, 22 goals, 26 assists, 48 points

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:

William Lacelle 
Lincoln Hjelm  

Gavin Hodnett  

Aiden Oiring  

Logan Wormald🪱 

Jayden Jubenvill 

Meet the New Mavericks: William Lacelle

No. 35, freshman goaltender William Lacelle

Photo credit: Omaha Hockey

MavPuck is profiling the 11 newcomers on Omaha’s 2026-27 roster. Links to the previous profiles are at the bottom of the blog post.

William Lacelle has spent most of his hockey career finding ways to adapt.

The 18-year-old goaltender is completely deaf in his left ear and has 50 percent hearing in his right.

That didn’t stop him from becoming one of the top goaltenders in the QMJHL.

Last season, Lacelle led the QMJHL with seven shutouts, helped the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada reach the league semifinals, and was ranked seventh among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting for the 2026 NHL Draft.

From Rimouski to Blainville-Boisbriand
Lacelle, a native of Gatineau, Quebec, was selected 10th overall by the Rimouski Océanic in the 2023 QMJHL Draft.

He appeared in seven games as a 15-year-old in 2023-24 before taking on a larger role the next season.

In 2024-25, Lacelle went 27-5-3 with a 2.38 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and three shutouts in 36 games for Rimouski.

He began the 2025-26 season with the Océanic before being traded to Blainville-Boisbriand in January. There, he joined future Maverick teammates Maël Lavigne and Vincent Desjardins.

Lacelle went 14-8-1 with a .919 save percentage and two shutouts in 24 games for Rimouski. After the trade, he went 13-7-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage, and five shutouts in 21 games for the Armada.

Combined, his seven shutouts led the QMJHL.

Lacelle then went 10-5 with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in 15 playoff games as Blainville-Boisbriand reached the QMJHL semifinals.

Playing Without Hearing the Game
Lacelle was diagnosed with hearing loss when he was 3 years old. 

He started playing hockey as a defenseman before moving to goalie at 8.

“The one thing my dad said that led me to playing the position was that you don’t need to hear the puck to stop it,” Lacelle told NHL.com. “You don’t need to hear the puck, you need to see the puck.”

Lacelle has developed other ways to communicate with his teammates on the ice. He reads lips and uses eye contact, stick taps, and other signals with his defensemen.

“With eye contact, I’m able to establish with my defensemen who should play the puck,” Lacelle told NHL.com.

Lacelle has called his hearing loss his “superpower.” 

World Junior Summer Showcase
Lacelle entered the 2026 NHL Draft ranked no. 7 among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting, although he ultimately went undrafted.

His summer wasn’t over.

Lacelle was invited to Canada’s 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase as part of the evaluation process for the 2027 World Junior Championship.

He stopped 23 shots in Canada’s 5-3 comeback win over Finland on July 30.

What He Brings to Omaha
Lacelle arrives at Omaha after three seasons in the QMJHL.

NHL Central Scouting senior eastern scout Jean-François Damphousse praised Lacelle’s hockey sense and puck tracking before the draft, describing his hockey sense as “elite.”

One Thing to Know
Lacelle takes pride in being deaf.

“I always told myself I can do anything I put my mind to,” he told NHL.com.

He has also talked with families of children with hearing loss about his experiences.

“I’m super open to [discussing anything to help] and I’m not ashamed of it,” Lacelle said.

What We’ll Be Watching
Lacelle joins a goalie room that looks different without Simon Latkoczy, who appeared in 103 games for Omaha over the past four seasons.

At NCHC Media Day, Coach Mike Gabinet pointed to returning sophomore Dawson Cowan’s experience last season and Lacelle’s talent when discussing Omaha’s options in net.

“We’re going to have some really good options in the net this season,” Gabinet said.

He described Lacelle as “a really good young goalie” and said the competition between Cowan, Lacelle, and Will Craig has been strong in practice.

William Lacelle at a Glance:
Number: 35
Position: Goaltender
Class: Freshman
Height/Weight: 6-1 / 185
Hometown: Gatineau, Quebec
Catches: Left
Previous Team: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
2025-26 QMJHL: 45 games, 27-15-2, 2.49 GAA, .917 save percentage, 7 shutouts

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:
Lincoln Hjelm  

Gavin Hodnett  

Aiden Oiring  

Logan Wormald🪱 

Jayden Jubenvill 

Meet the New Mavericks: Lincoln Hjelm

No. 22, freshman forward Lincoln Hjelm

Photo credit: Omaha Hockey

MavPuck is profiling the 11 newcomers on Omaha’s 2026-27 roster. Links to the previous profiles are at the bottom of the blog post.

Lincoln Hjelm remembers going to his first Omaha Hockey game when he was 4 years old.

More than 15 years later, the Omaha native will get to put on the jersey himself.

Hjelm grew up playing hockey in Omaha before leaving home to continue his development in Minnesota, British Columbia, and Kearney.

Now the 20-year-old forward is coming home.

Growing Up in Omaha
Hjelm grew up playing hockey with his older brother, Kaden. Neither of their parents played hockey, making the brothers the first generation of hockey players in their family.

Lincoln played for the Omaha AAA Hockey Club before leaving home to attend Northstar Christian Academy in Alexandria, Minnesota.

He spent two seasons with Northstar's 16U AAA team. In 2022-23, Hjelm recorded 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points in 46 games.

But Omaha remained the place he wanted to come back to.

“Attending my first hockey game at the age of 4 sparked my love for the game,” Hjelm wrote in his letter to Maverick fans. “The Omaha youth hockey community is something I will forever be grateful for.”

Committing to Omaha
Hjelm committed to Omaha in November 2022, during his second season at Northstar. He was 16.

Hjelm wrote in a letter to Maverick fans that he would “never forget the text message from the late Coach PJ (Jerrard) saying the Mavs were interested in me.”

He had already told The Rink Live what playing for Omaha would mean to him.

“Growing up I told myself that I wanted to play Division I hockey,” Hjelm said in 2022. “It's always been a dream of mine to go there.”

The Road Back Home
Hjelm still had several years of junior hockey ahead of him after committing to Omaha.

He spent the 2023-24 season with the Langley Rivermen of the BCHL, recording two goals and four assists in 48 games.

Hjelm then moved a lot closer to home.

He joined the Tri-City Storm in Kearney for the 2024-25 season and played two seasons in the USHL.

Hjelm appeared in 102 games for the Storm, recording nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points.

What He Brings to Omaha
Hjelm described his game himself not long after committing to Omaha.

“When I'm playing my best hockey I'm winning faceoffs, pressing the puck hard, forechecking, throwing the body, and setting up my teammates for success whether that's playing defense or getting the puck up and scoring goals,” he told The Rink Live in 2022.

At 6-foot and 185 pounds, Hjelm will arrive at Omaha with 150 games of experience between the BCHL and USHL.

One Thing to Know
Hjelm is from Omaha.

Yes, Omaha. (Technically, Gretna.)

Nebraska-born players have been pretty rare in the history of Omaha Hockey, and Hjelm grew up watching the Mavericks before spending the past several years playing elsewhere.

In his letter to Maverick fans, he wrote about leaving the area at a young age because he knew it was necessary to pursue his goal of playing at UNO.

What We’ll Be Watching
Hjelm committed to Omaha before he had played a game in either the BCHL or USHL. 

Almost four years later, the player arriving on campus has a lot more hockey experience than the 16-year-old the Mavericks originally recruited.

Lincoln Hjelm at a Glance:
Number: 22
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Height/Weight: 6-0 / 185
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Shoots: Right
Previous Team: Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Tri-City Career: 102 games, 9 goals, 18 assists, 27 points

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:

Gavin Hodnett

Aiden Oiring

Logan Wormald🪱

Jayden Jubenvill

Hometown Hero🦸#ForThe402 pic.twitter.com/bgGZEbbhBT

— Omaha Hockey (@OmahaHKY) July 28, 2026