Game Preview: Omaha at Air Force (Exhibition), Oct. 2, 2026

By Bridget (Weide) Brooks

Omaha Hockey gets its first chance to see its new-look roster in game action Friday night when the Mavericks travel to Colorado Springs for an exhibition against Air Force.

With 11 newcomers joining 14 returning players, head coach Mike Gabinet said Wednesday that his first priority isn’t necessarily systems. He wants to see how the Mavericks play.

“What’s our compete level? What’s our response? How’s our intensity and urgency around the ice?” Gabinet said. “First and foremost, let’s establish those norms.”

Gabinet said the Mavericks will also look at their structure and identify areas that need more work in practice, but establishing the team’s identity comes first.

The exhibition will also provide the first look at Omaha’s goaltending combination. Sophomore Dawson Cowan will start and play the first 30 minutes before freshman William Lacelle takes over for the second half.

Cowan returns to Colorado Springs, where he earned his first win as a Maverick last season against Colorado College. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman, finishing 4-8 with a .901 save percentage and 3.21 goals-against average.

Cowan said the biggest difference entering his second season is experience.

“You know what to expect,” Cowan said. “I think in my game itself, (I) just matured more in the details and habits and consistency.”

Cowan said he spent the summer getting stronger and working on the technical side of his game, including his edge work, positioning, and simplifying his game.

A First Look at the New Mavericks
Omaha’s 11 newcomers include five forwards, five defensemen, and Lacelle in goal. The group brings considerable junior, collegiate, and professional experience.

Three incoming forwards — Aiden Oiring, Logan Wormald, and Vincent Desjardins — surpassed 200 points during their junior careers. The Mavericks also added North Dakota transfer Jayden Jubenvill and former ECHL defenseman Parker Berge on the blue line. Carter Sotheran, a fifth-round selection of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft, joins Omaha after recording 35 points in 30 games with Edmonton last season. 

Gabinet said he likes what he has seen from the newcomers in practice, but Friday will provide a different challenge.

“You can practice as much as you want, but the game’s just a little bit different level of physicality, especially against a team like Air Force,” Gabinet said.

He said the exhibition will give the coaching staff a chance to see how the newcomers respond to adversity and the speed of game action. 

Air Force has plenty of new faces, too. The Falcons welcomed 11 freshmen in their Class of 2030, including forward Christian Kim, who recorded 60 points in 52 games with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters last season, and goaltender Jack Solomon, the 2026 NAHL Goaltender of the Year. 

A Strong Test for Omaha

The Falcons are coming off their first winning season since 2018-19, finishing 18-15-4 and going 8-4-2 over their final 14 games. Air Force led Atlantic Hockey America and ranked sixth nationally with 34.1 shots per game. Four of the Falcons’ six 20-point scorers from last season return.

Goaltender Dominik Wasik returns after starting Air Force’s final 32 games last season. He finished with a 2.47 goals-against average, four shutouts, and 17 victories while earning third-team All-AHA honors. Junior defenseman Nolan Cunningham, who had 20 points last season, also earned third-team All-AHA honors.

For Cowan, that makes Air Force an ideal opponent for Omaha’s first game action.

“Air Force is a good team,” Cowan said. “I couldn’t think of a better exhibition game. We’re kind of just jumping in the water. We can’t dip our toes.”

Serratore Begins Final Season Against Omaha

Friday’s exhibition also carries some history for the two programs — and for Air Force head coach Frank Serratore, who announced this week that he will retire following the 2026-27 season.

Serratore is beginning his 30th season at Air Force and has a school-record 490 victories with the Falcons. His 539 career NCAA Division I wins are second among active NCAA coaches. Associate head coach Joe Doyle has already been named Serratore’s successor beginning in 2027-28.

Serratore’s first series as Air Force’s head coach came against Omaha during the Mavericks’ inaugural 1997-98 season. Friday marks Omaha’s first trip back to Air Force since that weekend.

“What a career, right?” Gabinet said. “To coach that long and to be at the level he’s been at for that long is pretty awesome.”

Gabinet said he is looking forward to congratulating Serratore and wishing him well in his final season.

That first Omaha-Air Force series provided one of the most memorable stories in Maverick Hockey history. Air Force won the opener 4-2 before a snowstorm that dropped more than three feet of snow in northern Colorado Springs delayed the second game until Sunday. Omaha won the rescheduled game 6-1 for the program’s first Division I victory.

The teams met again in Omaha in 1999 before Air Force returned in October 2015 for the first two games played at Baxter Arena. Omaha swept that series 4-2 and 4-1.

Omaha leads the regular-season series 5-1 and has won the last five meetings.

The Mavericks and Falcons also met in an exhibition last October at Baxter Arena. Omaha built a 2-0 lead before Air Force scored twice in the third period to force overtime. Joel Plante scored the game-winner to give Omaha a 3-2 victory.

Leading the Mavericks

Junior defenseman Marc Lajoie will serve as Omaha’s captain this season, with sophomore forward Luke Woodworth and junior forwards Maxime Pellerin and Myles Hilman serving as assistant captains.

Pellerin led Omaha with 23 points last season, while Woodworth finished second with 21. Lajoie played all 36 games, scoring six goals with seven assists while leading the Mavericks with 36 blocked shots. 

Watch Bridget’s interviews with goaltender Dawson Cowan and Omaha Hockey Head Coach Mike Gabinet:  

When:
Friday, Oct. 2, 8:05 p.m. CT (7:05 p.m. MT) at Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Stream:
FloHockey ($)

Radio:
Varsity Network
Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play with Terry Leahy providing color commentary. 

Live Stats:
StatBroadcast

There are TWO new episodes of the MavPuckCast this week in advance of the two exhibitions to start the season!

On this episode of the MavPuckCast, Jon and Jason talk about some of the new University of Nebraska at Omaha Hockey players joining the Mavericks for the 2026-27 season. They take an in-depth look at all 10 National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams this season and make their preseason predictions in the race for the Penrose Cup. They conclude the episode with their “best guess” regarding which NCAA ice hockey team will win the national championship this season.

On this episode of the MavPuckCast, Bridget talks with University of Nebraska at Omaha Director of Spirit, Tradition, and Signature Events Bill Pickett. Pickett discusses the origins of UNO’s Office of Spirit and Tradition, building a student presence at the university’s athletic events, organizing and fundraising for student trips to road games, Durango Days, De-Stress Fest, and other events to keep the student population engaged.  

Support Spirit & Tradition’s 100th trip with a donation:
Wear Black, Give Back 

Next Up

Omaha returns to Baxter Arena for another exhibition Wednesday, Oct. 7, against Manitoba. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

The Mavericks begin the regular season Oct. 15 at Augustana before hosting the Vikings at Baxter Arena on Oct. 17. 

NCHC Media Days 2026 Insights (Day 2)

NCHC Associate Commissioner Michael Weisman 

moderated the Media Day sessions on Zoom.

By Bridget (Weide) Brooks

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference wrapped up its annual Media Day Wednesday, Sept. 23, with six more teams looking ahead to the 2026-27 season.

Day 2 featured Miami, Western Michigan, North Dakota, Colorado College, Arizona State, and Denver. 

Our recap of Day 1, featuring Minnesota Duluth, St. Thomas, St. Cloud State, and Omaha, is here:
NCHC Media Days 2026 Insights (Day 1) 

Miami Builds on Last Year’s Turnaround
Miami enters Anthony Noreen’s third season with something it didn’t have a year ago: continuity.

The RedHawks return 16 players from last season’s 18-16-2 team, including nine of their top 12 scorers and goaltender Matteo Drobac. Noreen said that experience has allowed Miami to build on what it established last season instead of essentially starting over.

“I just think it’s really clear what this program is about,” Noreen said. “And I think last year we were still building that, and you’re always building it. But now we’ve really got a group of returners that we trust.”

Noreen said the goal is for Miami to become a player-led program, with the returners helping establish the standards for the RedHawks’ 11 newcomers.

Senior captain Doug Grimes described Miami’s identity as one built around work ethic and a desire to improve.

“Every single guy in the room is a hard worker,” Grimes said. “The work ethic in our room is off the charts.”

Miami was picked fifth in the NCHC preseason media poll after posting its first winning season since 2014-15, but Noreen made it clear the RedHawks aren’t satisfied with last year’s improvement.

“There’s not a single person that’s satisfied or happy with the way things went last year,” Noreen said. “Like, not even close.”

“We see it as we need to be better,” he added. “Like, we need to be way better.”

The RedHawks will open NCHC play Oct. 30-31 against new conference member St. Thomas, bringing former Miami head coach Rico Blasi back to Oxford.

“He should be honored. He deserves to be honored,” Noreen said, pointing to Blasi’s role in building Miami’s hockey tradition and program.

Once the game begins, however, Noreen said the focus will be on the players on the ice.

“And that’s what it should be about.”

Western Michigan Embraces Change in Final Season at Lawson

Western Michigan enters the 2026-27 season with 11 newcomers, but head coach Pat Ferschweiler sees the changing college hockey landscape — particularly the addition of players from the Canadian Hockey League — as an opportunity.

“I think college hockey will never be better than it is in the next several years,” Ferschweiler said. “I think almost every other player will come through college hockey at some point.”

The Broncos have taken advantage of the expanded talent pool, adding four transfers and seven freshmen to a team that went 27-11-1 last season and advanced to the NCAA regional final.

There are some familiar faces returning, too. Ferschweiler said defenseman Joona Väisänen, who suffered a season-ending knee injury early last season, is back at 100 percent after spending the summer training in Finland.

“He looks as good as he did the day he went down last year,” Ferschweiler said.

Cole Crusberg-Roseen, who suffered a similar injury, is about six weeks behind Väisänen in his recovery. Ferschweiler said the Broncos hope he will be ready for the start of the season, but aren’t certain yet. 

Western also has a new option in goal in Denver transfer Quentin Miller. 

Ferschweiler said the 6-foot-4 Montreal Canadiens draft pick has made a positive early impression.

“He’s got a real presence about him,” Ferschweiler said. “Seems to be a great, great teammate, and just comes to work every day.”

This season will also mark the end of an era for Western Michigan, which will play its final season at Lawson Arena before moving into the new Kalamazoo Event Center in fall 2027.

Ferschweiler played at Western Michigan himself and said “a piece of my heart” will always remain at Lawson. He compared the transition to his time with the Detroit Red Wings, when the team played its final season at Joe Louis Arena before moving to Little Caesars Arena.

“We are going to enjoy every second of the last season of Lawson Arena, for sure,” he said. 

The Broncos will also take hockey outside this season, hosting Michigan at Waldo Stadium on Jan. 30. For senior forward Zaccharya Wisdom, the game brings things full circle: he started skating on an outdoor rink behind his school as a kid.

What is he looking forward to most?

“Beating them, obviously,” Wisdom said.

He also called the chance to play Michigan outdoors at Waldo “such a privilege.”

Ferschweiler credited Michigan and head coach Brandon Naurato for agreeing to the game during what otherwise would have been a bye week for both teams.

“He just basically said yes, and then we’ll just make it work,” Ferschweiler said. 

North Dakota Looks to Build on Frozen Four Season 

In his first year as head coach, Dane Jackson led North Dakota to 29 wins, a Penrose Cup, and the program’s first Frozen Four appearance in 10 years.

Now, the challenge is doing it again.

Jackson said the Fighting Hawks aren’t looking to change the approach that worked last season. Instead, they’re focused on the same day-to-day preparation that helped last year’s team, with 15 newcomers, come together faster than he expected.

“We really had an approach where every practice was important and led to good performance in our game,” Jackson said. “So I really want to kind of not have any complacency and just really stick with that mentality.”

Jackson said one of the lessons from last season was the importance of bringing the right people into the program. It’s an approach he traces back to former North Dakota coach Gino Gasparini, who coached Jackson during his playing career.

“You start with the player and the kind of the person, the character guy that he is,” Jackson said.

“I really felt last year we could become a good team by the end of the year,” Jackson said. “I was surprised by how we became a pretty good team early.”

One of those newcomers was Cole Reschny.

Reschny had 35 points (six goals, 29 assists) as a freshman and was named NCHC Rookie of the Year. This season, the sophomore will serve as North Dakota’s captain after being selected in a vote by his teammates.

He is the youngest captain by age in program history and only the third underclassman to wear the “C” for North Dakota.

“Honestly, it’s an honor,” Reschny said. “It’s a special feeling. You know, to know that they think that highly of me, it’s such an honor.”

Reschny is one of three North Dakota sophomores named to the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team, along with defenseman Keaton Verhoeff and goaltender Jan Špunar.

“All the accolades are nice, but at the end of the day, it’s what we do on the ice as a team and what we can accomplish as a team,” Reschny said.

Špunar returns after winning NCHC Goaltender of the Year as a freshman, while newcomer Caleb Heil will compete with him in goal.

Jackson also talked about the influx of players from the Canadian Hockey League and how it has affected college hockey.

“I’m not sure the exact percentage, but I kind of said I think it’s one-third better, the level, than it was even just a few years ago,” Jackson said. “The depth, the high end, the overall competition is outstanding.”

“I don’t think college hockey has ever been higher.”

“We know the expectations are high,” Jackson said. “We’re trying to not just get by on the people before us, but really try to add to that tradition and continually kind of push and challenge to earn our spot near the top of college hockey.”

Arizona State Looks to Rebound With More Depth

Arizona State’s Media Day session took place under difficult circumstances, with sophomore defenseman Matthew Mayich hospitalized since Aug. 20 following a team activity.

Head coach Greg Powers opened the session by saying Mayich and his family remain at the forefront of the team’s thoughts as the Sun Devils prepare for the season. Powers said an ASU police investigation is ongoing and declined repeated questions about the Aug. 20 activity and accountability for what occurred.

Junior forward Ben Muthersbaugh, a transfer from Union and one of ASU’s alternate captains, said the players have grown closer through the experience.

“We still have a season to play for, and we’re playing for him,” Muthersbaugh said. “It’s always bigger than hockey.”

On the ice, Arizona State enters its third NCHC season looking to rebound after winning seven conference games last year. Powers said the experience reinforced the need for more depth, balance, and stronger defensive play.

“You have to be deep. You have to be balanced. You have to be very committed to the defensive side of the puck,” Powers said. “You’ve got to keep the puck out of your net, and we didn’t do a really good job with that last year.”

Powers said increased size and depth at center were priorities in building this year’s roster. He also praised ASU’s transfer additions and said the team’s freshman class may be getting overlooked.

Denver’s Goal Is Another National Championship

Denver enters the season as the defending national champion and the preseason favorite in both the NCHC and national polls, but head coach David Carle made it clear there is only one trophy the Pioneers are focused on.

“I don’t really care about any trophies other than national championship,” Carle said. “And neither does our program.”

Carle said the other championships are opportunities to learn and grow toward the ultimate goal of playing on the final weekend of the season.

“Everybody’s back at base camp,” he said. “It’s a new climb. It’s a new challenge. Everybody’s back to square one.”

Senior forward Kieran Cebrian was named Denver’s captain shortly before the Media Day session. The Denver native has already won two national championships with the Pioneers and spent three seasons with the Tri-City Storm in Kearney, Neb., before returning home for college.

“My time in Kearney was amazing,” Cebrian said. “I had a great billet family who has helped me grow into who I am today.”

Denver has also made changes off the ice. The Pioneers added Amanda Kremer as chief of staff and former Omaha Lancer Angelo Ricci as director of skill development, while Tavis MacMillan has been named general manager. Carle said college hockey’s changing landscape requires programs and their staffs to adapt.

Carle also pointed to two areas where he believes college hockey itself needs to change. He said recruiting timelines have shifted because of the new CHL eligibility rules and that the recruiting calendar needs to “modernize.” He also supports expanding the number of games teams can play, saying Denver tries to play as many games as possible because players prefer games to practices.

On the ice, Denver welcomes eight NHL-drafted newcomers, including two first-round picks and two second-round picks. Carle said Denver had only five first-round picks in program history before this summer and has never previously had two on the same team.

Meet the New Mavericks: Parker Berge

No. 83, senior defenseman Parker Berge

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.

Parker Berge comes to Omaha with more than 300 games of experience in the WHL and ECHL.

The 23-year-old defenseman spent the past two seasons playing professional hockey in the ECHL after four full seasons in the Western Hockey League.

Four Seasons in the WHL
Berge, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, spent most of his WHL career with the Regina Pats.

He recorded four points in 23 games in 2020-21, 11 points in 54 games in 2021-22, and 22 points in 68 games in 2022-23.

Berge was an alternate captain for Regina during the 2023-24 season and had 10 goals and 28 assists in 36 games before being traded to Everett on Dec. 31, 2023.

He added three goals and 22 assists in 30 games with the Silvertips.

Berge finished his final WHL season with 13 goals and 50 assists for 63 points in 66 games. He finished his WHL career with 100 points in 213 regular-season games. 

Two Years of Professional Hockey
Berge turned pro after his WHL career, playing the 2024-25 season with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.

He recorded six goals and 35 assists for 41 points in 57 games and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team. 

Berge signed an AHL contract with the Ontario Reign and attended Los Angeles Kings training camp on a tryout before the 2025-26 season.

He returned to Greenville for his second professional season, recording eight goals and 15 assists in 66 games. 

A Familiar Face in Omaha
Berge had a connection to Omaha when he was considering where to play college hockey.

Former Maverick goaltender Simon Latkoczy was Berge’s teammate with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits last season.

Berge said Latkoczy helped influence his decision to come to Omaha.

What He Brings to Omaha
Berge has played 213 regular-season games in the WHL and another 123 in the ECHL.

He also has a history of producing offensively from the blue line. Berge recorded 63 points during his final WHL season and 41 points during his first professional season.

One Thing to Know
Berge finished his WHL career with exactly 100 regular-season points.

He recorded 18 goals and 82 assists in 213 games with Regina and Everett.

What We’ll Be Watching
Berge is making an unusual transition from professional hockey to the college game. We’ll be watching to see how his two seasons of ECHL experience translate to Omaha.

Parker Berge at a Glance:
Number: 83
Position: Defenseman
Class: Senior
Nickname: Bergie
Height/Weight: 6-0 / 181
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Shoots: Left
Previous Team: Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL)
2025-26: 66 games, 8 goals, 15 assists, 23 points

Previous Meet the New Mavericks profiles:

Carter Sotheran 
Arseni Marchenko

Vincent Desjardins 

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

Meet the New Mavericks: Carter Sotheran

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