SPOKANE’S NACHBAUR WATCHES LOCKOUT CLOSELY.

Count Spokane Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur among those watching the NHLNHLPA negotiations with great interest.

Nachbaur will be heading to Calgary for Canada’s world junior selection camp Monday, when he’ll begin his new — temporary — job as an assistant coach.

If a settlement is reached between the NHL and its Players’ Association before the tournament begins Dec. 26 in Ufa, Russia, Nachbaur knows his personnel could change.

“There’s a little apprehension,” the native of Prince George, B.C., said following a 4-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades Wednesday night.

“You want to have the best team. But we’ll see what we get depending on where they’re at in the NHL.”

If the lockout continues, Nachbaur is relishing the chance to coach some of the players he’s worked with recently.

Nachbaur was part of Steve Spott’s staff at the Canada-Russia Challenge in August, which saw players like Dougie Hamilton (Boston), Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida) and Ryan Strome (New York Islanders) all take part.

Those are just three members of Canada’s selection camp roster that could be called into NHL duty if a new collective bargaining agreement is signed in the days to come.

“We have a pretty good idea of the competition,” said Nachbaur, who was also an assistant coach at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament under Spott — the bench boss in Ufa.

“Now at the selection camp, it’s making sure you get the guys there.”

Nachbaur played 223 NHL games as a forward for Hartford, Edmonton and Philadelphia. He retired in 1994 after spending four seasons in Austria.

Nachbaur stepped behind the bench with the Seattle Thunderbirds that next season and, three years as an assistant in the American Hockey League notwithstanding, has been a mainstay in the WHL since.

He joined Ken Hodge, Ernie McLean and the Blades’ Lorne Molleken as the only coaches in the 1,000-game club last Friday.

The Chiefs won 5-2 against the Tri-City Americans, whom Nachbaur guided from 2003-04 to 2008-09.

“The number 1,000 makes you look back at all the guys you’ve coached,” he said. “I’m running into a lot of those guys on this Prairie swing — guys that are 34, 35 years old with families now.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks how old I am. That’s the biggest thing — not the achievement itself.”

With Nachbaur at the helm, the Chiefs (21-7-1-0) are humming along.

Despite having just one drafted player on their roster — overage captain Brenden Kichton, an Islanders 2011 fifth-rounder — the Chiefs sit third in the Western Conference.

Nachbaur attributes their success to the “timely goals” of Todd Fiddler — who leads the WHL with 23 — the “big plays” of centre Michael Aviani, the steady goal tending of Eric Williams and the defensive corps led by Kichton.

“We haven’t relied on one guy,” he said. “We’ve had depth throughout our lineup.”

That’s what Nachbaur is counting on throughout Canada’s world junior squad.

A lockout would ensure the country’s best roster possible as was the case in 1995 and 2005 — the last two times there was labour unrest.

Throw the fact that Canada hasn’t won gold at the tournament since 2009 and expectations are through the roof.

And that’s just fine with Nachbaur.

“Everybody loves pressure. That’s why we’re in sports,” said the 53-year-old, who will be in charge of penalty killing, the forwards and running pre-game skates.

“I think we all know the quality of kids that we’ve got. We’ve got character kids in Canada. I’m sure they’ll come through.”

The Burns effect

If Thursday’s trade is any indication, WHL general managers will be driving a hard bargain as the Jan. 10 deadline approaches.

The Kamloops Blazers sent 18-year-old defenceman Tyler Bell, prospect Jayden Halbgewachs (a Regina native selected 19th overall in 2012) and a first-round pick in 2015 to Moose Jaw for 19-year-old blue-liner Joel Edmundson and a fourthrounder in 2015.

While the price may seem high, the market had already been set. Saskatoon shipped two draft picks — including a first-rounder in 2014 — and fourth-line centre Travis McEvoy to Vancouver for 19-year-old forward Michael Burns on Nov. 2.

Burns now has 81 points in 199 games.