The University of Illinois may be getting a D1 hockey team sooner than we think and that’s good news for the Blackhawks
The last decade of Blackhawks hockey has created a crazed culture that has fans itching for more. We’re now seeing that demand throughout the state. There has been talk of adding a Division I hockey program in the state of Illinois for a while since there currently are none. It poses an opportunity for one school to take advantage of hundreds of talented players that leave every year by letting them play close to home.
Back in March of this year, the University of Illinois hired a firm to do a feasibility study that showed that hockey would thrive in Champaign. Just a couple hours south on I-57, kids from the north shore or south suburbs could be home having dinner with their parents over the weekend if they wanted.
This would create a competitive option for players who currently look at schools within close proximity such as the University of Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan, Western Michigan, and Notre Dame.
Ice hockey would “flourish” at the University of Illinois, study shows.
AD Josh Whitman said if they move forward, a hockey program would take “2 to 3 years to get off the ground.”https://t.co/aCVEhkkz43 via @sryantribune pic.twitter.com/0RvXLtiM6Y
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Earlier this year, The-Rink caught up with Kevin Fitzgerald from Hinsdale who now plays in the NCHC division for St. Cloud State. Here’s what he had to say about the possibility of a program at the University of Illinois:
“I mean, yeah. I know Nick Fabbrini really well, he’s the head coach at the University of Illinois. He spoke to me about “feasibility reports” of adding a D1 team and it looks like it may be in the works. It would be good for Chicago kids. There a lot of hockey in Chicago and a lot of good players. I feel like giving them a place to go would be really awesome. I’ve known Nick for a while, he’s a good coach that loves the game. I think that would be a good spot for kids.”
A report from the Sports Business Journal came out Thursday saying that athletic director Josh Whitman hopes to “green light” the men’s Division I hockey program by the end of the year. Whitman had this to say about the program:
“I’m increasingly confident in what this could [look] like and our chances of making this a reality. There does seem to be growing interest.” Whitman said that a program “would likely take two to three years to start after green-lighting, but hockey would give Illinois another potential revenue-generating program.”
As far as the Blackhawks, Josh Whitman visited with John McDonough and Stan Bowman in March seeking advice during the feasibility study. This would be a clear opportunity for the organizations to create a relationship that would be mutually beneficial.
The Blackhawks have been hosting several college hockey games at the United Center including the Frozen Four last year that featured three Big Ten schools. Similar to Northwestern playing at Wrigley Field, the Blackhawks could host the Fighting Illini annually at the United Center.
There will also be an opportunity for scouting. A lot of teams tend to draft players in their own backyard because it’s easiest to catch games with short travel. This could create a pipeline of young players who could potentially get to play for their hometown team. The Hawks love drafting the local kid i.e. Ryan Hartman and Vinnie Hinostroza.
Even though this project is a few years away, this could be the start of a program that becomes hugely popular.