Ranking teams is one thing, but players?

After it’s third consecutive 20-win season, a school record, Air Force returns a strong lineup for the 2018-19 season despite the graduation of its winningest class in school history. The eight players in the 2018 class won a total of 86 games.

I thought it would be fun to break down how the returnees stack up at this point. This is not meant to be anything other than an exercise of reflection and prediction. Some players have established their importance to the Falcons, while there are some others I believe are on the cusp of breaking out. Like it? Don’t? Let me know via a comment or a tweet at @AFAFlightPath

Why now? I watched nearly all of the Falcons’ games this past season either in person, online or on TV. I spent considerable time around the team at practices. I felt like I have a better handle on this than in years past. And much like last season, the Falcons return an impressive group of seniors, whom as you’ll see below, dominate these rankings.

It’s a natural progression in college hockey, committed players tend to improve the longer they’re in a college hockey program, and we all know Air Force’s players are as committed as they come.

So here is how I rank the returning Falcons entering the 2018-19 season:

1. Billy Christopoulos – Think of all the Falcons accomplished this past season – climbing back into the Atlantic Hockey race, winning the AHC tournament, beating top-seeded St. Cloud State in the NCAA Tournament and pushing eventual championship Minnesota-Duluth into nervous time – none of it is possible without the rising senior who made the most saves (1,026) of any Falcons goaltender in 35 years. Billy the Greek is the backbone of the team and should be in the conversation for the 2019 Mike Richter Award if he keeps his level of play where it was at the end of the season.
2. Matt Serratore – The next five players – all also rising seniors – on this list are very close. Serratore gets the nod because of his effectiveness in every situation and his goal-scoring acumen. His 14 tallies were second most on the team. He’s also one of the team’s better skaters and a strong contender to be a captain. He also answers the bell – win, lose or draw – after games without fail.
3. Matt Koch – The Falcons’ top-scoring defenseman (18 points) has the vision, instincts and
   

   Matt Koch photo courtesy of Air Force Athletics

   passing skill to be an elite college blue liner. He is one of the driving forces on a power play that has room to improve, and he’s exceptionally at getting the puck up the ice from the Falcons’ zone. An outstanding interview as well, and a teammate who gives as well as he takes from teammates.

4. Kyle Haak – Oh did Air Force miss him during his pair of injuries, which added up to 14 games. As he regained his stride and his confidence down the stretch he arguably was the Falcons’ second-best player after Billy the Greek. His versatility and hockey IQ rival Serratore’s, but Haak does it from center ice. His highly analytical approach to the game is an ideal fit for the Falcons.
5. Evan Giesler – A total warrior with a scorer’s touch (12 goals); he’s as comfortable putting opponents into walls as he is putting pucks in their net. Giesler has one speed – full
   

   Evan Giesler is one of the Falcons’ offensive leaders. Photo courtesy of Russ Backer and Air Force Athletics.

   throttle. His plus-17 led the team and he was a special-teams fixture. As much of a leader by example as the Falcons have.

6. Evan Feno* – If his recovery from ACL surgery is going as well as I’ve been told it is, a stronger, faster Feno could vault right up this list. Much like Serratore and Haak, there isn’t any weak area in his game, and there are quite a few strong ones – skating, hockey IQ and stickhandling to name three. This ranking is reflective of what he did during his first two seasons, not missing all but one game last season. Any early season conversation I had with teammates and coaches that included Feno’s name inevitably included the phrase “huge loss for us.”
7. Zack Mirageas – A revelation as a freshman, Mirageas has the potential to be an elite college defenseman. His 17 points were just one fewer than Koch’s, and his offensive instincts are impressive. He also played on both special teams almost from the get-go. Expect his team-high 23 penalties to decrease as he gains even more comfort in the college game.
8. Brady Tomlak – There are moments I watch Tomlak make plays that few players his size in
   

   Brady Tomlak Photo courtesy of Russ Backer and Air Force Athletics

   college hockey can. If that becomes even more of the norm, watch out. In addition to size and outstanding hands, he’s a dominant face-off man. The ingredients are there for a breakout player. He’s also one of the team’s more light-hearted and engaging players.

9. Marshall Bowery – The Falcons’ Cy Young Award winner with an 8-1 scoring record (goals-assists), Bowery displayed a surprisingly well-rounded game as a freshman and is one of the team’s better skaters. If he finds himself in a top-six role and on the power play I believe he will double his goal total.
10. Trevor Stone – One school of thought with the rising junior is all he needs is more opportunities in scoring situations to break out. With the graduation of so many top-six forwards, he might be in line for such a role. He has a hard, accurate shot, skates well and he will get his hands dirty. He and his junior teammate Tomlak clearly have excellent chemistry.
11. Matt Pulver* – Not one but two season-ending shoulder surgeries have ended the rising junior’s first two seasons. Pulver was a rare young recruit by AFA, which should tell you something, and he doesn’t have many weaknesses in his game. His skating and stick handling are particularly strong, and he didn’t look out of place filling in at center after the carnage at that position, so his hockey sense is top notch as well. If he can return to full strength and train for a season, he could be a special college player.
12. Dan Bailey – Would he be ranked higher if he received the minutes everyone anticipated
    

    Dan Bailey. Photo courtesy of Paat Kelly and Air Force Athletics

    he would at defense? There is a good chance of that. He had nearly 20 points as a sophomore from the blue line. But Bailey took one for the team and excelled at center when injuries devastated the position. He played so well there that he stayed up front in the postseason. He has a high skill level as well, and the type of versatility he showed last season should make him a lineup mainstay wherever the coaches place him.

13. Jake Levin – As deep as Air Force was on the blue line going into last season, Levin wasn’t even expected to play much, if at all. Instead, he got 21 games, put up six points and was aggressive in getting the puck to the net, something the Falcons’ blue line struggled with at times.
14. Alex Mehnert – Mehnert played even fewer games than Levin (15), but had just as many points and also provided plenty of hope for a blue line that graduated four seniors. He also wasn’t afraid to shoot the puck.
15. Erich Jaeger – The rising junior took another step in his game, setting career highs in points (9) and games (34). He also was a plus player. He’s looking up at a logjam at center with Feno, Haak and Tomlak at the position, but he improved enough defensively to get some PK time. If he takes another leap like he did last season, the Falcons’ coaching staff is going to have some very nice problems at center.
16. Pierce Pluemer – The soft-spoken giant had a knack for clutch goals (two of his four were winners), was a plus player and like Jaeger played in more games (34) than he did as a freshman. He projects to be an every-night player this season, and another one who could get increased offensive opportunities.
17. Joe Tyran – The rising junior recovered well enough from an ACL tear that wiped out his
    

    Joe Tyran. Photo courtesy of Air Force Athletics

    freshman season to play in 23 games. In a way, he is the blue-line equivalent of Giesler, aka can and will hit almost everything near him. Tyran also is a top-flight skater, and like Bailey and graduated senior Kyle Mackey, versatile enough to play up front, which is where he had to at times. He figures to play a lot more from here on out, but the question begs to be asked, where?

18. Walker Sommer – Much like Levin and Mehnert, and to a lesser extent Bowery, he played a lot more than expected (18 games) because of injuries. He had his moments, but when he played more at the end of the season he clearly had a much better grasp of the college game. Given his skating and shot, he might be a candidate to break out in his second season. There will be no shortage of forward jobs open.
19. Zack LaRocque – Christopoulos started every game and finished all but two, so there weren’t a lot of opportunities for LaRocque. However, he didn’t seem phased by college hockey when he did play. He’s a big, athletic goalie, and he has a chance to follow Christopoulos’ script of surging into the spotlight as an upperclassman.
20. Max Harper – Forced into the lineup because of injuries, Harper then sustained an abdominal injury that effectively ended his season. He brings size and showed some aggressiveness around the net. He will contend for more ice time this season.

Incomplete – Shawn Knowlton – the well-regarded rising sophomore has good wheels and hands. Unfortunately, a preseason injury erased his first season. He has a lot of the attributes the Falcons favor, so don’t be surprised to see him play a role.

Next: Ranking the entire 2017-18 team

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