Fresno Falcons Acquire Four Players in Trade with Columbus River Dragons

Fresno adds Yaroslav Yevdokimov, Skate Skalde, Colin Ratt and Brandon Walker in six-player deal

FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Falcons have acquired Yaroslav Yevdokimov, Skate Skalde, Colin Ratt and Brandon Walker from the Columbus River Dragons in exchange for Malik Johnson and Rasmus Asp.

The move gives Fresno four additions to its offseason roster picture, bringing in a mix of high-end scoring experience, physicality, size and defensive depth as the Falcons continue building toward their first season back on the ice.

Yevdokimov headlines the group as a proven offensive producer with experience across multiple levels of professional hockey, including the KHL, ECHL, SPHL and FPHL. The Chelyabinsk, Russia native spent time in the KHL with Astana and Nur-Sultan from 2015–2020 before later making his mark in North America.

His most dominant North American season came during the 2022–23 campaign with the Mississippi Sea Wolves, where he produced 52 goals and 49 assists for 101 points in 50 games. That season, Yevdokimov led the FPHL in goals, served as captain of the Sea Wolves and earned FPHL Second-Team All-Star honors.

Yevdokimov also showed he could produce at the ECHL level, recording 18 points in 29 games with the Tulsa Oilers during the 2023–24 season. During the 2025–26 campaign, he continued to contribute offensively with Biloxi, Columbus and Utah, adding another experienced scoring option to the Falcons’ forward group.

Before joining Columbus, Skalde spent time in the SPHL with the Knoxville Ice Bears, Fayetteville Marksmen and Birmingham Bulls. He played overseas during the 2024–25 season with Merano HC in Italy, recording 16 points and 66 penalty minutes in 36 games. Skalde brings a different element to Fresno’s roster. The Orlando, Florida native plays with an edge and gives the Falcons another forward who can bring energy, compete and physicality to the lineup. 

Across the 2025–26 season, Skalde totaled 163 penalty minutes between Pee Dee, Birmingham and Columbus, including 124 penalty minutes with the River Dragons. That physical presence will be part of a new opportunity for Skalde in Fresno. With the Falcons, he will have the chance to take on a new role, using his hard-nosed style to create space and add’s an intimidating presence whenever he’s on the ice. He brings energy to the bench and will make Fresno tougher to play against on a nightly basis.

Ratt adds size and Major Junior experience to Fresno’s forward group. The 6-foot-2 forward from Maniwaki, Quebec played in the QMJHL with the Sherbrooke Phoenix and Gatineau Olympiques, totaling 39 points in 128 career QMJHL games. His background gives Fresno another young forward with reach, strength and experience against high-level competition.

Walker joins the Falcons’ defensive group as a right-shot option on the blue line. The Pierrefonds, Quebec native brings puck-moving ability and offensive upside from the back end. During his junior career with the Carleton Place Canadians, Walker was named CCHL Defenseman of the Year after leading league defensemen in points and goals during the 2022–23 season.

With the additions of Yevdokimov, Skalde, Ratt and Walker, the Falcons continue to build a roster with skill, toughness and depth as the organization prepares for its return to Fresno.