From Chiefs to Chilliwack in one day

At the end of business today, a current Spokane Chief will become a former one.

That’s because the Western Hockey League holds its expansion draft for the Chilliwack Bruins franchise and Spokane will only be able to protect 15 of its 30 players eligible to be drafted (birth years 1986-89). One will pack his bags and head north by the weekend.

To stock its roster, Chilliwack was granted the right to select one player from each of the WHL’s 20 teams and three from the Tri-City Americans. As part of the deal that kept a team in Kennewick and granted one to Chilliwack, the Americans can only protect only 12 players and Chilliwack can select two extra players from Tri-City’s 50-player protected list.

Four teams have already made predraft deals and traded players to Chilliwack to satisfy their obligation: Kamloops, Medicine Hat, Portland and Vancouver. Spokane has explored doing the same, but with no luck, according to general manager Tim Speltz.

“We were in constant contact with them,” said Speltz. “But give them credit. They know what teams have some depth and players that they’re interested in. When you look at it, if a team has 20 good players then you have five to choose from and can fill different needs.”

The Chiefs may just be one of those teams. Spokane has depth at the forward and goalie positions, with a wide range of players who could help an expansion team. Chilliwack may have fewer options with other teams’ unprotected players.

The WHL teams will submit their protected lists to the league office by 7:45 a.m. PDT today. Chilliwack will notify the league of its picks by 2 p.m. The teams will be given time to notify the selected players before the names are made public by the league later in the day.

Bishop leaves

Darcy Bishop, the Chiefs’ athletic therapist the past five seasons, is leaving the organization for family reasons.

Bishop’s son, Graydon, is undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Lukacevic signs

Former Chiefs forward Ned Lukacevic, who played last season with the Swift Current Broncos, has signed a multiyear deal with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.

Lukacevic was a fourth-round pick of Los Angeles in the 2004 NHL entry draft.