Gargan not protected by Fire

Defender Dan Gargan was the only late-season starter not protected by the Chicago Fire in Wednesday’s MLS expansion draft.

The Fire and other MLS clubs can protect 11 players from the expansion Montreal Impact. The Impact and coach Jesse Marsch will select 10 players, but no more than one from each club.

Gargan, acquired from Toronto FC in a trade for Dasan Robinson in July, quickly became a fixture at right back.

Forward Orr Barouch was the only non-starter protected. Barouch, who turns 20 next week, was a regular off the bench for the Fire in 2011, appearing in 28 matches and scoring twice in MLS play.

Besides Gargan, other Fire players who might attract interest from the Impact include backup defenders Josip Mikulic and Yamith Cuesta and forward Diego Chaves.