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If defense truly does win championships, the Fargo Force should be sitting pretty looking ahead to the 2010-2011 campaign. One year ago, few would have thought Oleg Yevenko would be part of an excellent looking Fargo defensive group. The Force saw Yevenko make an incredible amount of progression during the 2009-2010 season.
Yevenko, who came over from Belarus to play in the United States Hockey League, was certainly a project at one point. In fact, there were times during the exhibition schedule where Yevenko had troubles staying on his feet. What a different a year makes.
By the playoffs, Yevenko was a difference maker in Fargo. He scored a playoff goal, partook in some momentum changing fights, and played stellar defense. The 6’7” 225 pound defenseman was an impressive +6 in the postseason to go along with his +13 regular season rating. In 49 regular season games, Yevenko scored four goals and tacked on five assists for nine points.
Despite the tremendous progress, Yevenko has yet to learn to stay out of the penalty box. On the ice, he is not a traditional enforcer, but he grabbed 119 penalty minutes during the regular season and added on 26 more in the postseason. In a perfect world, he can spend more time on the ice this season and less time in the penalty box.
There were several questions surrounding a possible return to Fargo for Yevenko this offseason. In the end, Yevenko is a perfect fit with the Force. He loves it here and Head Coach Steve Johnson loves working with Yevenko.
Along with Yevenko, Brian Cooper, Brandon Carlson, and Nick Romanick may all be returning. Willie Corrin is coming in from International Falls, Minn. and Dan Weissenhofer is coming in from Bismarck in the North American Hockey League.
Yevenko is set to join his former teammates and his potential new ones in West Fargo next week. The Fargo Force will hold their invite-only tryouts July 25-28. If Yevenko can progress this season like he did last season, he will be a force to be reckoned in no time.
More returning player stories:
- Ryan Massa
- Colten St. Clair
- Nick Oliver
- Chad Demers
- Garrett Allen
- Brian Cooper
- Joe Rehkamp
- Brandon Carlson
- Oleg Yevenko
You can follow Tim on Twitter @fmhockey!
Comments
Watching oleg play is painful. Not because he hits hard. Not because he fights well. He does neither of these. However its because when you see an opposing player streak up the ice, you know he's getting a clear path to the net if oleg is in front of him. A simple head fake from an opposing player will throw him in the wrong direction. If an opponent is streaking down by the boards, leave it to oleg to give the glass a shine with his gloves because he has no concept of lining up a check. He literally can't even STAND in front of the net properly(he wanders behind far too often and is caught catching flies when players cut in front for a pass.
And that's just his defense... Let's not even talk about those squirts-esque outlet passes. Everytime I see him with the puck the charlie brown theme plays in my head, as I'm reminded of watching mites play during AHL games I'd attend.
This guy couldn't skate for a public HS team from arkansas, yet he's a top pairing guy to coach johnson. Sa
I agree with the fact that Oleg still has a lot of progress to make. But, at the same time, he has made a lot of progress since joining the club and that is something worth noting.
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