North Stars Captain, Jackson Allan is making the transition from player to coach after a season ending injury (Byron Hildebrand/Facebook).

By Austin Mattes

From Player to Coach

Jackson Allan: North Stars Captain turns setback into opportunity

Mar 12, 2025 | 2:23 PM

In his final year on the team and with a championship under his belt, Battlefords North Stars captain, Jackson Allan, now has the opportunity to use his knowledge and skills to assist the North Stars in a different way to end the season.

After battling a serious injury over the past few months, the team has officially announced Allan will be putting down the stick and picking up the clipboard as an assistant coach to finish off his 20-year-old campaign.

This came about after Allan found out he wouldn’t be able to finish the season due to a shoulder labrum tear. Despite going through all the necessary treatment to deal with the injury, Allan said a return just wasn’t possible.

“I did everything I could. I worked out, hour long rehab sessions every day at the gym and got strong. I got into a position where I didn’t have pain every day and could play with a huge brace…but then I took a hit after a play and fell on it and that was that. It’s now too bad and to have any realistic return to play would probably need like three months,” he said.

When North Stars head coach Martin Smith was informed of the news, he knew how much the team meant to Allan and that’d something had to be done to keep him a part of it. That’s when the decision was made to not only keep Allan as the team captain for the remainder of the season but to add him as an assistant coach as well.

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“Knowing Jackson won’t return this season is tough. It’s his last season with the team that he has put his heart into for the past three seasons and to have it end this way, I really feel for him. We miss him in the lineup, but Jackson is our captain and that’s how it will stay until the end of the season, and we have so much respect for him we have decided to add him as an assistant coach,” said Smith.

Smith added that bringing Allan on as a coach was an easy decision due to his knowledge of the game and leadership abilities.

“He will give us another set of eyes and his knowledge of the game is such an asset, it was a no brainer. He’s a leader who wants to see the season through and this is an excellent way to be a part of that,” Smith said.

Allan with his first North Stars goal puck in 2022 (File Photo/battlefordsNOW).

For Allan, being asked to come on as a coach was a total surprise. He knew that with the injury he was still going to be a part of the team in one way or another, but never to this degree.

He said it meant a lot as it showed the amount respect the organization had for him.

“It was a surprise, I was kind of just planning on doing what I could to help the team, but when they asked me about being a coach, it was a whole other level of respect. I’ve given the last three years of my life to this team and they’ve reflected the same respect and it’s just special. It’s a statement to the culture that Battleford has, and I couldn’t be more grateful,” said Allan.

Apart from the coaching opportunity, the biggest support for Allan while he was dealing with the injury came from the guys on the team. Not only was the physical pain of the injury difficult to deal with, it was the mental effects also taking a toll.

Without the support from his teammates, Allan said things may have been different.

“The only thing that’s really kept me going is the guys. I don’t think I’d pick a better group of guys for something like this to happen. They respect me a lot as a leader and I respect them for what they’ve been able to support me through. It’s credit to them that I’m still with the team,” he said.

During his time with the North Stars, the Davidson product has been a big contributor to the team’s success. In 135 regular season games, Allan notched 34 goals and 62 assists for 96 points, including three trips to the playoffs, one SJHL Championship and a Centennial Cup Silver Medal.

Allan after winning the SJHL Championship in 2023 (Jackson Allan/Submitted Photo).

Now, off the ice and behind the bench, he hopes to continue helping the team succeed.

“I’m hoping to bring a lot to the team, I have a little bit more understanding of the teams that we’re playing. For a really long time, I’ve played against them, and I understand their tendencies a lot more. The transition to coach has been very smooth and I think I’ll really be able to help,” Allan said.

With Allan taking on a new role, the North Stars also decided to add a new player to their leadership group on the ice. After taking a team vote, the players choose forward, Seth Dragan to wear the third ‘A’ on the squad.

“When Seth arrived after a trade before Christmas it really sparked our hockey club. He competes hard every shift and is vocal in the room. Seth was a great choice by the team,” Smith said.

The North Stars have their final two games of the regular season this weekend as they play back-to-back games against the Kindersley Klippers on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15.

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Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes