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U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

4four4 said:
There i no way but the rumor mill said IL could start playing next year. Maybe an announcement by next year but I don't believe the school can start playing D1 next year.
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No problem. Just make sure one of the Alaska schools drops hockey after this year due to budget cuts and then transfer those players to Illinois.

Seriously, it would be possible, but Illinois would need to commit and act soon. Basically you take your club team and add a few decent players that have been overlooked or are unhappy with playing time. Schedule a season of mostly exhibitions against Canadian, D-3, club teams, and maybe even a few D-1 teams. The goal would be to move to a mostly D1 schedule the following year.
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

Highly unlikely that Illinois is playing D-I hockey year. Even if they find the money, coaches, players and every other detail of putting a team together, who are they going to play? D-I teams typically have their schedules set years in advance. Unless an Alaska school folds and creates a huge hold in the WCHA schedule they would be lucky to get even a handful of D-I games. A D-I team isn't going to create itself in 13 months. If anything is happening next year, regardless of what they want to call it, it will be club hockey, maybe with a more challenging schedule.
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

wsummers said:
No problem. Just make sure one of the Alaska schools drops hockey after this year due to budget cuts and then transfer those players to Illinois.

Seriously, it would be possible, but Illinois would need to commit and act soon. Basically you take your club team and add a few decent players that have been overlooked or are unhappy with playing time. Schedule a season of mostly exhibitions against Canadian, D-3, club teams, and maybe even a few D-1 teams. The goal would be to move to a mostly D1 schedule the following year.
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PSU and ASU model. By year three they are competitive.
 
aparch said:
Jimmy John founder sells restaurant chain...

A Pegula-esque move coming next for U of I?
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Is there any evidence this guy is even a hockey fan?

This dude attended EASTERN Illinois University for less than one semester. I know he has a sandwich shop or two next to the University of Illinois, but still I gotta think a donation for the Big Game Hunting Club at Eastern Illinois might happen before a hockey donation at Illinois.

All this said, I do think Illinois will be announcing plans for a D1 hockey team soon, but I don’t think they are holding their breath waiting for Jimmy John to make it happen.
 
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Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

aparch said:
...A Pegula-esque move coming next for U of I?
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Not only does this guy not have any direct ties to Illinois, he also does not appear to be anywhere close to Mr. Pegula's level in the philanthropy universe. So as someone else already said, don't hold your breath.
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

Split-N said:
Not only does this guy not have any direct ties to Illinois, he also does not appear to be anywhere close to Mr. Pegula's level in the philanthropy universe. So as someone else already said, don't hold your breath.
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There's more of a chance Tony Romo would fund something like at this at Eastern than JJ...at least Tony made it through more than one semester. So yeah, not happening.
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

Maybe the Big10 conference can bankroll the Illinois hockey team like the NHL propped up the Coyotes?
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

Hey, I'll go one better: The Minnesota Wild will win a Cup before Illinois has a hockey team.
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

But hey, at last check, Illinois was "in the red zone, on a breakaway, taking it hard to the hole."
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

There's a great trivia question.

Who was the last school to add D-1 hockey to make the national championship game in just 4 years?
 
Re: U of Illinois AD & NHL joint press conference

John J. MacInnes said:
There's a great trivia question.

Who was the last school to add D-1 hockey to make the national championship game in just 4 years?
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For a second I thought you were referencing NMU, but that was only a semi-final and happened in 1981 :o
 
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