Tuesday, June 17, 2014 by: Chris Dawson
Marc Audet has come a along way.
The 18-year-old Astorville native has climbed the hockey ladder, going from peewee house league with the Vipers to being a late pick in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection.
Audet is hoping the opportunity to play major junior hockey will come this season, after his major junior hockey rights were picked up during the 2013-14 season by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL.
Audet, who spent the first half of the year with the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the NOJHL, unfortunately hasn’t had a chance to strut his stuff yet in 2014 after suffering a concussion during a practice that shelved the 6’2″, 170 pound goaltender for the remainder of the season.
“It was a precaution not to come back but it was a concussion so I didn’t play the rest of the season,” said the Chippewa Senior Secondary student.
Rocky Route
Audet has taken a unique hockey route, leaving home at only 15 after his Bantam AAA season in North Bay, to play on a Under-15 team in Colorado led by former NHLer Doug Smail.
“Going to Colorado got me away from home and I really got to see what the real world is like. Smail taught me what to do to get at the next level and we were up early training doing the little things NHLers do and that’s why it was such a successful year,” said Audet who was joined by Bantam AAA teammate Lucas Brown in Colorado that season.
It was that experience playing against older competition in Colorado that helped Audet get drafted in the 15th round of the OHL Priority Selection by the Sarnia Sting.
The following season Audet returned closer to home splitting the year with the Abitibi Eskimos and the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners playing in 22 games in his rookie year of Junior A hockey in 2012-13.
“It was great to play for Marc Lafleur, I feel like I matured and realized what I needed to do to further my career in hockey,” said Audet about the experience of playing for the Gold Miners.
In the summer months, Audet has traveled to Montreal to work with world class Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at his hockey camp.
Audet says Fleury is a great teacher and role model.
“I am fortunate to have size and train with Fleury was definitely a huge step for me,” said Audet.
Audet has trained two summers with Fleury and he believes the NHLers easy going attitude, puts everything into perspective.
“He told me to have fun and he acts like a normal person.”
Now that Audet is healthy he will join a Team Canada West team in Boston at the Chowder Cup in July and then will look to stay healthy and make an impact at Drakkar main camp in late August.
“I expect to perform my best and work hard for this team,” said Audet about Drakkar camp.
“And be respectful in everything I do,” he added.
Photo of Marc Audet with Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in the summer of 2012
