Fronts deal Robertson, Paquette to IceDogs

The rebuilding Kingston Frontenacs dealt their leading scorer Jason Robertson, older brother of Peterborough Petes sophomore forward Nick Robertson, to the rising Niagara IceDogs in a blockbuster trade Tuesday.

The Frontenacs, in last place in the Ontario Hockey League’s East Division at 7-16-1-0, reloaded by also dealing top-line defenceman Jacob Paquette to the IceDogs. Both Robertson and Paquette are 19 and are in their final OHL season, unless they return for one more season as overagers. In return Kingston received two 17-year-old players, forward Ian Martin and defenceman Billy Constantinou, plus 11 draft picks, including three second-round selections and three third-round selections.

Martin and Constantinou will be in Kingston’s lineup when the Peterborough Petes host the Frontenacs on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at the Memorial Centre. Robertson, a draft pick of the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars, is second in the OHL in goals with 23 and fourth in the league with 38 points.

The IceDogs, featuring former Petes head coach Jody Hull as associate coach, are in a threeway tie with the Oshawa Generals and the Sudbury Wolves for third in the OHL’s Eastern Conference at 12-6-4-0—28, four points ahead of the slumping Petes.