Handful of Islanders trades to be finalized tomorrow

Four Charlottetown Islanders trades will be finalized tomorrow when the 2014 QMJHL Draft trading period opens up.

The Islanders are set to acquire four players; two forwards and two defenceman.

Up front, the additions of Ross Johnston and Oliver Cooper will become official, and blue-line additions of Ryan MacKinnon and Dexter Weber.

Ross Johnston.

The Islanders are expected to send Victoriaville's first-round pick in 2015 back to the Tigres for 20-year-old Ross Johnston. The trade will finalize the trade back on Dec. 22, 2013 which sent forward Yan Pavel Laplante and defenceman Julien Leduc to Victoriaville for first-round picks in 2015 and 2016. Victoriaville's first-round pick in 2016 was returned on the last day of the Christmas trading period for defenceman Luc Deschenes.

Johnston, a Charlottetown native, had 10 goals and 25 points in 60 games with the Tigres this past season.

Secondly, Charlottetown is expected to send their 15th overall pick in the upcoming draft and a first-round pick in 2015 to the Saint John Sea Dogs for 19-year-old Oliver Cooper. The Fredericton, N.B. native was a second round pick, 19th overall, by the Sea Dogs in 2011. This past season, the six-foot-three, 203-pound left-winger led the Sea Dogs in scoring with 28 goals and 57 points in 68 games.

Ryan MacKinnon.

On the back-end, the Islanders are expected to acquire Summerside native Ryan MacKinnon from the Rimouski Oceanic. In return, the Oceanic receives first- and fifth-round picks. The year of the picks will be made official tomorrow.

MacKinnon, who turns 20 on Sept. 5, scored four goals and 22 points in 66 games with the Oceanic this past season. The five-foot-11, 193-pound defenceman captained the Oceanic.

Finally, the Islanders are expected to send defenceman Kevin Laliberte to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in-exchange for fellow defenceman Dexter Weber.

Weber, 18, of Kitchener, Ont. will play as a 19-year-old for the upcoming season. In 62 games with the Voltigeurs this past season, he scored two goals and 22 points with a plus-15 rating.

The draft takes place Saturday May 31 in Sherbrooke, Que.