If Air Force is going to continue to be a successful hockey team in 2016-17, A.J. Reid is going to have to figure into the equation.

The soon-to-be-senior didn’t have a bad season in 2015-16 by any means. But his productivity is going to have to increase in order for the Falcons to compete at the level they have been accustomed to in recent years. Along with his own goals and targets, he knows his teammates have to continue to be the disciplined team that one can expect when dealing with a service academy.

“We were a really young team this past year,” Reid said. “We were able to be successful with good habits and good team defense. We have to continue on that.”

A forward, Reid played in 22 games this past season. He scored two goals and assisted on seven others. Part of the reason from his major drop in production from his sophomore season (10 goals, 20 assists) was that he was injured for much of the year.

“We had a lot of guys that had surgery in the offseason,” he said. “We have to focus on getting healthy and getting our strength back.”

The Falcons went 20-12-5 overall this last season, and even though the numbers suggest that it was an overall success, Reid and his teammates know they can be better.

“Most importantly in the offseason, we’re going to be in the gym a lot,” he said. “Especially for the young guys. They need to get some of the strength that the older guys have. The big emphasis for many guys is getting stronger in the weight room.”

Reid noted that he wants to pick up next season where this year’s captains left off, which is making sure there a strong bond between teammates.

The Falcons know that if they get healthier, stronger and become a close group, they can be one of the most dangerous teams in the NCAA.

Photo/Team DMI

— Dan Mohrmann