By Nathan Kanter

North Stars acquire forward from Oil Barons

Oct 11, 2016 | 2:00 PM

Bringing back forward Coby Downs wasn’t the only move the North Stars completed this past Thanksgiving weekend.

In addition to the team’s third leading scorer from last season deciding to come back North of the border, the team also acquired forward Ben Allen from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL.

Allen is a 5’9” forward who had four points in four games with the Oil Barons so far this season but has also been a healthy scratch for half of the team’s games.

“He’s a good player. He’s a point-per-game player … but it was just tough fitting him into their lineup,” North Stars head coach Nate Bedford said after practice on Tuesday. “They ran into what you would call a numbers issue and I think they want to see him play.

“Their loss is our gain and we’re going to be happy with him.”

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In exchange, the Oil Barons receive a player development fee.

Bedford said Fort McMurray likely could have received more in exchange for Allen from another team if they had waited things out, but said general manager Tom Keca did the Texas native a favour by pulling the trigger now.

“He wanted to move on and give the kid the opportunity and I think that’s an admirable thing for coaches and [general managers] to do these days – is to not hold kids up and just let them play the game,” Bedford said. “He’s certainly more than a player development fee in our eyes and we’re fortunate to get him.”

With two new players in the fold, roster changes will be coming before the team’s upcoming three-game road swing down south, likely in the next 24 to 48 hours. The road trip begins Thursday in Wilcox, continues on in Weyburn on Friday, and finishes in Estevan on Saturday.

“We’re obviously excited to get two new players but … in this business there’s going to be some trickle-down effect from it,” Bedford said. “We’ll have to tighten up our roster and make some decisions here.”

Allen and Downs both arrive to the Battlefords early in the evening on Tuesday and will practice with the team on Wednesday.

Nathan Kanter is battlefordsNOW’s sports reporter and voice of the Battlefords North Stars. He can be reached at Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca or tweet him @NathanKanter11