Air Force hockey’s former captain Luke Rowe signs with L.A. Kings’ AHL affiliate
Air Force fans rejoice. Luke Rowe’s hockey story will continue. He will finish the season playing home games at Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif.
Air Force hockey’s former senior defenseman and three-time captain signed with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate, according to a Falcons’ social media post Friday.
The last Air Force hockey player to sign with a professional team was goaltender Shane Starrett, who signed a two-year NHL entry level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2017. Starrett has not played in the NHL, but rather the AHL and the ECHL.
Rowe skated his final shifts in Falcons white and blue last weekend as Air Force swept visiting Robert Morris, securing a fourth-place finish in the Atlantic Hockey Association and a first-round bye in the conference tournament. Earning the bye was a season-long goal for the 25-year-old.
He recorded an assist in the series, finishing his season, and Air Force career, with 29 points on six goals and 23 assists, third on the team behind senior winger Will Gavin and fellow defenseman Chris Hedden who both finished with 36.
Originally, the Succasunna, N.J. native was only going to skate half a season with the Falcons as he graduated in December. Normally, a cadet’s time at the academy, including athletics, must end after the cadet completes eight semesters. Rowe graduated in December because he took a leave of absence, referred to as a turnback, in the spring of 2021.
However, in an unprecedented scenario for an Air Force winter athlete, Rowe was granted a 60-day extension and an 11-day waiver by the NCAA to finish the regular season with the Falcons. The season culminated in the Falcons’ series against Robert Morris last week.
No Air Force player has ever made it to National Hockey League and time will tell whether Rowe will make history in that regard but he did participate in the New Jersey Devils’ development camp last summer.
As Rowe stares down a future in professional hockey, the Falcons stare down the AHA conference tournament. During last week’s farewell, the captain voiced his full confidence for his college teammates.
“Me leaving I don’t think changes anything,” Rowe said last week. “This team has 28 guys now, with me leaving, that are just great hockey players and great guys and all great leaders. So I don’t think they’re going to skip a beat and they’ll be good to go. We get production from everyone in our lineup top to bottom.”
Air Force defenseman Luke Rowe celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime Nov. 10 against Army.
