Center is Chiefs’ first draft pick

Hockey: The Spokane Chiefs selected 11 players in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft on Thursday, including Calgary center Tanner MacMaster with the 19th overall selection.

The No.1 overall pick was winger Jake Virtanen, taken by the Calgary Hitmen.

In total, the Chiefs selected six forwards, including Spokane native Justin Loepker in the sixth round, four defenseman and one goaltender.

The 5-foot-8 MacMaster tallied 42 goals and 92 points in 32 games last season with the Calgary Bisons of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League. He was third in the league in scoring.

Rhett Gardner, a 6-1 center from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was Spokane’s second-round pick, 41st overall. Gardner’s 27 goals with the Moose Jaw Warriors were the second-highest total in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League.

Spokane selected Markson Bechtold, a 6-1 center who played with Okotoks (AMBHS), with their third-round pick.

Loepker was the captain of the Spokane Junior Chiefs bantam AAA team and was taken with the 129th overall selection. He led the Jr. Chiefs in scoring with 69 goals and 111 points in 62 games.

Another Junior Chief from the area, Kienan Scott of Spokane Valley, went to Regina in the eighth round with the 157th overall pick. The left-winger had 41 goals and 42 assists.

Two other Jr. Chiefs were drafted: Taylor Vickerman of Kennewick (112th overall to Vancouver) and Austin Mayton of Richland (302nd to Tri-City).

Trump out of Indy pace car

Auto racing: Donald Trump said he will not be the celebrity pace-car driver for the May 29 Indy 500, calling it “inappropriate” since “he may be announcing shortly his intention” to run for president.

Some race fans had complained Trump was too divisive to serve as the celebrity pace car driver.

Associated Press