Opportunity is tapping it's hockey stick for Justin Bailey.
Untimely injuries to Sabres forwards has created a glorious opportunity for a prospect to make his NHL debut.
On Thursday night in Philadelphia, The 20 year old Williamsville, NY native will have an opportunity to achieve his lifelong goal of playing in the NHL for his hometown Buffalo Sabres.
Injuries to key Sabres contributors this season have prompted the call-ups of forwards Tim Schaller, Cal O'Reilly, Phil Varone and Dan Catenacci.
Bailey is the next man up after rookie Jack Eichel joined Zemgus Girgensons and Johan Larsson as absentees from Wednesday's practice. Eichel took a Zach Bogosian slap shot off his foot in Tuesday night's 7-4 loss to the Florida Panthers. Dan Bylsma said that he expects Eichel to be ready to play in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Girgensons was placed on IR with a lower body injury after he sustained a lower body injury in Boston on Saturday night. Larsson suffered an ankle injury during Tuesday's game day morning skate.
Defenseman Jake McCabe was forced to skate on the fourth line wing in Buffalo's loss to Florida.
Bailey was called up on Wednesday afternoon likely to replace either Larsson or Girgensons.
Bailey (6'4" 215 lb.) is Buffalo's power forward of the future who models his own game after that of Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal and two time Stanley Cup champion Jeff Carter of the LA Kings. Bailey was Buffalo's second round (#52) draft choice at the 2013 NHL Draft. Like Staal and Carter, Bailey has size, speed, a heavy shot, fast feet and the ability to grind down opponents on the walls. He plays a strong game in the paint and is hard to move out of the crease.
Bailey currently ranks second on the Rochester Americans in goals (10) and fourth in points (23). He's scored 11 points (5G, 6A) in his last eight games.
Bailey played one game for the Sabres during the preseason, logging 14:31 TOI with one shot on goal.
Bailey is the fourth Buffalo, NY native to play for the Buffalo Sabres. He joins Scott Thomas, Tim Kennedy, Marcus Foligno, and Patrick Kaleta.
The hockey gods are smiling on Bailey, who at the age of 12, received this inspirational message from former Sabres captain Danny Briere who signed a lucrative UFA contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in July 2007.
"To Justin:
See you soon in the N.H.L.
Your Friend,
Danny Briere"
This is way to cool not to post. Definitely something that motivated me growing up, and still continues to today pic.twitter.com/aq9Ts2JJr4
Oddly enough, Briere was back in Buffalo on Wednesday to play with the Sabres Alumni in their annual corporate challenge charity tourney.
Briere and Bailey are buddies from back in the day. Their friendship lives on today. Briere retired from the NHL at the end of last season. Briere wasn't pumping the kid's tires when he told Bailey that he would be in the NHL some day. That's the essence of Danny Briere. He always takes time to express his thoughts and ambitions to his fans. Kids need positive role models to emulate and to pattern their game after. Bailey has taken Briere's words of inspiration along with him on his journey that has led him from hockey experiences in Buffalo, Long Island, Indiana, Kitchener, Ontario, The Soo, Rochester, NY, and now the NHL.
Two worlds collided when Briere met Bailey. Now their relationship extends beyond Buffalo to Philly.
If he plays Thursday night in Philly, Bailey will achieve his goal of making it to the National Hockey League.
Danny Briere and Bailey's mother, Karen Buscaglia, will be credited with the assists.
Justin may want to leave tickets at the arena will call for Briere and his three hockey playing sons.
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On a personal note, I am ecstatic for Justin and his mother. I've been a witness from afar to Justin's journey to the NHL. I first saw him dominate his peers as a travel hockey star for the Buffalo Regals program.
Bailey was a 1st Round pick, 11th overall, during the 2011 USHL Futures Draft and was also selected in the 7th Round, 128th overall during the 2011 OHL Priority Selection.
Following his time with the Buffalo Regals, Bailey and his mother decided that his development would be better suited playing with the Long Island Royals U16 team rather than in the USHL with the Indiana Ice. Bailey lived with his Long Island Royals head coach, some guy named Pat LaFontaine and his family. Bailey led the U16 Royals to a National Championship that ironically enough was played at the Amherst Pepsi Center, just a few miles from his Williamsville , NY home.
His next hockey outpost was the OHL Kitchener Rangers. Bailey finished his OHL rookie season with 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in 57 games as a 17 year old. Following his NHL draft year Bailey kicked up his numbers to 24 goals and 19 assists for 43 points in 54 games.
Bailey impressed Savres brass at the 2013 and 2014 rookie development camps.
Then, exploded for 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points in 35 games to start the season for the Kitchener Rangers and was in the Top 20 in scoring for most of the season.
Then, in January 2015, the Kitchener traded Bailey to the Soo Greyhounds. He pumped in 12 gals and 16 assists in 22 games with the Greyhounds. He also chipped in 7 goal and 7 assists in 14 playoff games for The Soo.
Bailey has a winning attitude and is not shy about spending time in the guy during his summers and during the season.
He is ready to test his skills against NHL competition and I couldn't be happier for him.
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Evander Holyfield is the only five-time heavyweight world champion in boxing history.
Holyfield reach out to Evander Kane via Twitter to compliment the Buffalo Sabres power forward's lethal overhand right bomb. Kane unsheathed his weapon and used it to knock down Florida Panthers D Alex Petrovic not once, not twice, but tree times on Tuesday night.
Kane's athletic prowess was handed down to him by his parents.
Kane's father, Perry, was a Jr. A hockey player in Nova Scotia. When his playing days ended, Perry became an amateur boxer and hockey player. Thus, Evander's name is an homage to the legend Holyfield. Kane's mother, Sheri, played pro volleyball.
Evander Kane followed his father's advice and learned how to throw hands. As we saw Tuesday night, Kane not only knows how to bar knuckle box, he LOVES it!
Here's round one:
Here's round two:
Unfortunately for Petrovic, Kane saved his best fury for the third and final fight of the night. Watch as Kane dots the eye of Petrovic, opening a gash over his right eye brow.
The Hat Trick:
Following their second fight, Kane chirped Petrovic and reminded the Panther that he had lost both fights. Watch as Kane gave Petrovic the tale of the tape: 2 TKOs for Kane.
Kane letting Petrovic know how the judges have scored their fights so far tonight - VG pic.twitter.com/KvvwWJwsiR
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