The Illinois hockey team finished its season as CSCHL champions and one win away from the ACHA Final Four. With the NHL season over, The Daily Illini sat down with head coach Nick Fabbrini to get an update on Illinois hockey.

Daily Illini: It’s been a pretty long off-season, what have you and the team been up to over the summer?

Nick Fabbrini: I’ve been on the ice a lot this summer, doing a lot of camps and clinics and private lessons. I’ve been working with kids anywhere from 6, 7 or 8, up to guys that are going to be playing at some NCAA schools.

DI: How often does the team come by to skate? Or are they just doing their own thing?

Fabbrini: A lot of the guys are doing their own thing; there’s been some individual guys from the team out here. A lot of what we do out here is individual, skill kind of stuff. There’s not a lot of team stuff going on so that’s what we’ve been doing this summer. I know a lot of the guys have been playing in summer leagues and working out on their own. Once or twice a week tops, probably.

DI: The 2013-14 schedule was released recently, what games are you most excited for?

Fabbrini: That’s a tough question. We’ve got a great schedule this year. We’re playing all-four final four teams at home this season. I guess one of the weekends I’m most excited for is playing Arizona State in Chicago at the Blackhawks practice rink. That should be a lot of fun and I expect we should have a great crowd in Chicago for that, and then having the defending national champion Minot State at Alumni Weekend is going to be a great weekend. And then obviously all of the CSCHL teams are going to be tough at home, as they always are.

DI: Let’s talk a little NHL. What are your thoughts on the Blackhawks winning the Cup?

Fabbrini: I thought it was outstanding. They played really great down the stretch. I’m hoping that excitement surrounding hockey in Chicago and the state of Illinois is going to carry over to our season in the fall.

DI: Where were you for Game 6?

Fabbrini: I was watching it with four or five guys, former teammates at Illinois. One of the guys had just moved in, so it was a housewarming of sorts.

DI: Did you go to the parade or anything?

Fabbrini: Actually I didn’t, I was working on some advertising and sponsorship type things for the team. I was pretty bummed about it. I had meetings with a couple different hotels and things. Had that not been planned a week or two in advance, I definitely would have made it.

DI: They had like two million people for that or something crazy like that?

Fabbrini: Something crazy like that. I know a couple of my friends went, and a lot of people got there really early. A lot of people showed up at like 8 a.m., and the players didn’t show up ‘til 11. It was really hot out there. It would have been nice to go, but I had to be an adult and take care of some responsibilities and stuff.

DI: What do you think about some of the trades? Trading Dave Bolland, Michael Frolik?

Fabbrini: I like it. I think for what they were paying Bolland, they could get a similar contribution from someone for significantly less. And moving those guys allows them to keep Bickell. They didn’t necessarily need him but someone like him with size and grit and physical play. They have a lot of skilled guys, but they don’t have anybody that can go to the front of the net and take a bit of a beating. I’m glad they were able to keep him and I think he’ll be an important player for them.

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and @steve_bourbon.