Diachenko enters his 2nd season with the Toronto Rock, looking to build off of an impressive end to the 2014 season. Diachenko got onto the Rock’s active roster late in the 2014, but made an immediate impact, scoring 2 goals & 2 assists for 4 points in 3 regular season games. Diachenko had an even more impressive showing in his first NLL post season game, where despite the Rock taking the loss, Diachenko showed very well, tallying 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points against the team the drafted him and subsequently released him, the Buffalo Bandits.
Diachenko was originally a 2nd round pick of the Buffalo Bandits, 14th overall in 2013 after an impressive Junior and NCAA career. Diachenko suited up for a few teams throughout his junior career, beginning with the Clarington Green Gaels Junior B squad, in 2007. Diachenko’s Green Gaels went 20-0 that season, and swept their way to the OLA Finals, before being swept themselves by the eventual Founder Cup Champion Six Nations Rebels. Diachenko had a fairly impressive rookie season, totaling 12 points on 5 goals & 7 assists in 19 games. The following season Diachenko made the jump to Junior A, toiling with the Peterborough Lakers. The Lakers went 10-10 in 2008, finishing 7th in the OLA’s Junior A loop. The Lakers came up against a very tough Six Nations Arrows squad in round one of the playoffs an where ultimately dumped 4 games to 2. Diachenko though again had an impressive rookie season, this time being a Junior A rookie, his elite transition ability allowed him to pot 11 goals and 5 assists for 16 points in 17 regular season games.
The 2009 season saw Diachenko return to the Junior A Lakers, although he appeared in just 9 games. He did however record 8 points in those 9 games. In 2010 the Whitby Warriors would acquire Diachenko’s playing rights from the Lakers, and Diachenko was reunited with many of the players he suited up with on the 20-0 Clarington Green Gaels squad in 2007. 2010 was Diachenko’s best statistical season in junior lacrosse, recording 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points in 16 games. In 2011 Diachenko returned to the Warriors for his final season of Junior lacrosse. He was only able to appear in 9 regular season games, due to his late arrival back home, as his NCAA season with Delaware extended pass the start of the OLA Junior A Season. Although he did get into 17 playoff games, where he recorded 18 points on route to a Minto Cup Championship with the Warrriors.
The past three seasons Diachenko has been playing his summer lacrosse with the Brooklin Redmen. He’s appeared in 18 games over that span, recording 8 goals and 1 assist for 9 points. Diachenko is most known for his excellent transition ability. He’s blessed with great speed, an uncanny ability to scoop loose balls, and creative vision in transition and in the offensive zone. Last season while deployed in more of an offensive role with the Toronto Rock, Diachenko showed he could be a reliable depth option on the right side, as he looked quite comfortable with the ball in his stick and excelled in getting guys open and spacing the floor.
With Garrett Billings out to mid season for the Rock it would not shock me to see if Diachenko was asked to play in an offensive role until Billings return. If Diachenko is able to get consistent playing time with the Rock this season, expect him to have a breakout campaign as he has all the tools to thrive in the new fast paced transition based NLL game.
