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.
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.”
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
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.
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:
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