Austin's on the Verge; Rookie proclaims he's ready to play for Frontenacs
September 1, 2006
by Doug Graham
courtesy Kingston Whig-Standard
Austin Verge packed for the long haul this time.
"Austin packed to be here not for 48 hours, but to be here until May," said Kingston Frontenacs chief scout Matt Hallett.
Hallett said Verge had "a massive year" last season with the Toronto Jr. Canadians Major Midgets. The 17-year-old has a multitude of Tier II clubs lined up to offer him a starting position after his play last year at the national midget championship, but Verge has his mind set on playing in the Ontario Hockey League.
"I have signed a Tier II card, but I don't want that," said Verge, one of six new defencemen at camp looking for the one or two spots available.
"I'm here to play in the 'O.' I don't want [Kingston] to send me anywhere. There are some openings or I can make [management] send someone back from last year home."
A 12th-round draft pick in 2005, Verge didn't make the Frontenacs last year, but he turned that disappointment into a positive. He was named the most valuable player when North York won the provincial midget crown in North Bay. At the Telus Cup national championship in Prince Edward Island, North York came fourth and Verge was selected to the all-star team.
"It was a good year all the way. I had a lot of ice time. It was a fun year for me," Verge said.
Over the summer, Verge worked out and skated twice a week at his uncle Brad Wheeler's Brampton hockey camp. His workout partners included Bryan Cameron and Shawn Matthias of the Belleville Bulls and Josh Armstrong of the Plymouth Whalers.
"There were a lot of [OHL players] out there. I was comfortable with them," said Verge, who didn't feel that way when he attended his first Frontenacs camp last fall. Physically, he knew he wasn't ready for the OHL.
"Austin did what he had to do," Hallett said. "He made a responsible decision to go back to play midget hockey. Instead of playing Tier II and getting eight minutes of ice time, he got tons of ice time.
"He lived on the ice for [North York]. He had huge offensive numbers and was a big part of them going to the Canadian championship."
Hallett said Verge was one of those players who slipped through the draft. Verge played on a weak minor midget club and the team "played ping-pong with him," moving him back and forth from forward to defence.
"His skating makes him a pedigree player," Hallett said. "We had him rated at the bottom of the second round. We were lucky he was available later."
In the first two scrimmages of camp yesterday, Verge looked poised and made responsible decisions. He at times was partnered with Ben Shutron, a player whom the six-foot, 178-pound Verge resembles in his play.
Hallett picked out a play in which Verge moved the puck up ice quickly, hitting Taylor Law at centre ice for a breakaway.
"Some people would look at it as a high-risk play, but he knew it was a good play so he made it," Hallett said.
In the afternoon scrimmage, Verge made a good rush and then passed off to Andrew Wilson and continued to the net, scoring when Wilson gave him the return feed.
"I was comfortable out there," Verge said. "A year makes a difference. Last year, some of the guys were so big. Now, there's not too big of a difference."
Nobody was more pleased to see Verge performing well on opening day than Hallett.
"I'm pretty proud of Austin. He has been so driven and focused to be here.
"He's a great example for kids that just because you are not a one or two draft pick, that doesn't mean you are done with the team
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