The American Hockey League has announced that Rochester Americans forward Justin Bailey has been named to the roster for the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic which begins tonight in Allentown, Pennsylvania home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Bailey will represent the North Division All-Stars alongside forward Cole Schneider and goaltender Linus Ullmark, who are also making their first AHL All-Star appearances.
In 108 career games with the Amerks, Bailey has scored 38 goals sand 35 assists.
In his first year of professional hockey, Bailey scored 20 goals and 25 assists in 70 games played.
The 6'4" 210 lb. power forward is on pace to set career highs in goals and assists this season.
In his second season with the Amerks, the 21-year-old Bailey is currently tied for sixth in the AHL with a team-best 18 goals. Bailey ranks third among all Amerks with 28 points in 38 games this season.
A native of Buffalo suburb Williamsville, New York, Bailey has 10 goals in his last 12 games, including an AHL-best seven-game goal-scoring streak and a career-long eight-game point streak over that span.
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Should Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray act on all of the trade buzz surrounding Evander Kane at or before the March 1 NHL trade deadline, Bailey would be the automatic solution to fill the void at left wing in Buffalo.
Kane has scored 14 goals in his last 25 games and is being scouted by several Western Conference teams who are looking to add scoring pop and physicality to their respective lineups. Trading Kane, who has one more year remaining on his Buffalo contract, would land the top four D-man that Murray has been desperately seeking all season long.
In 17 career games with Buffalo, Bailey has one goal. In 9 games with the Sabres this season, Bailey has impressed on both sides of the puck. He averages 9:40 TOI per game has landed 9 shots on goal, which equates to an 11.1 shot percentage. The former Soo Greyhound and Kitchener Rangers scoring star possesses a heavy, NHL-level shot that he can get off off his stick while moving down his wing and at various areas in the homeplate area in the 0-zone. Bailey has 12 hits and 2 blocked shots in his brief stint with the Sabres this season.
Bailey's his unique blend of size, strength, speed, skill and reach allow him to creatively make plays for his line mates and himself.
With increased ice time, alongside equally or greater skilled offensive players, Bailey will thrive at the NHL level.
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