One of the Battlefords North Stars top offensive weapons from last season is heading further west.
Ben Allen, who was on the team's top line with graduating forward Coby Downs and the returning Layne Young, has been dealt to the British Columbia Hockey League champion Penticton Vees ahead of that team's training camp next week.
The 20-year-old from Allen, Texas had 45 points in 44 games to finish fourth in team scoring and was named to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's all-rookie team after he was acquired from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in October.
He then had 13 points in 12 playoff games during the North Stars run to the Canalta Cup title, which put him in a tie with five other players for the third most in the SJHL post-season.
Allen's departure means that the North Stars will now lose eight of their top 10 scorers from last year's team.
After Young, who had 71 points in 53 games to one point behind Downs, the next highest returning scorer is defenceman Levi Kleiboer, who had 32 points in 55 contests last season.
MacGregor Sinclair will be the second-highest scoring returning forward for the team following a 22-point rookie campaign.
