Justin Bailey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Justin Bailey
Bailey with the Buffalo Sabres in 2016
Born	(1995-07-01) July 1, 1995 (age 30) Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams	Anaheim Ducks San Diego Gulls (AHL) Buffalo Sabres Philadelphia Flyers Vancouver Canucks San Jose Sharks
NHL Draft	52nd overall, 2013 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	2015–present

Justin Bailey (born July 1, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey forward. He plays for the San Diego Gulls in the American Hockey League (AHL). He is also signed with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Justin Bailey's Early Life

Justin Bailey was born in Buffalo, New York. He grew up in a nearby town called Williamsville. Interestingly, he lived in the same apartment complex as some players from the Buffalo Sabres.

Justin's father, Carlton Bailey, was a professional gridiron football player. He played as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. Carlton played with the Bills for five seasons. He even scored a touchdown that helped his team reach Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. Justin's parents separated when he was young. He lived with his mother, Karen Buscaglia. He still kept in touch with his father on special days like birthdays.

Justin started his minor ice hockey career with the Buffalo Regals. This was part of the Midwest Elite Hockey League (MEHL). A shoulder injury meant Justin played only 22 games in the 2010–11 season. During that time, he scored 13 goals and made nine assists. Justin also helped the Regals reach the state championship finals. There, they played against the Long Island Royals. The opposing coach, Pat LaFontaine, was very impressed by Justin's size and talent.

Justin Bailey's Hockey Journey

Playing for the Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres chose Justin Bailey in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. They picked him in the second round, as the 52nd player overall. This was special because the Sabres were his hometown team.

Justin signed his first professional contract with the Sabres on November 2, 2014. He was called up to the Sabres from their minor league team, the Rochester Americans, in February 2016. He played his first NHL game on February 11. He was sent back to Rochester a week later. However, he was called back up quickly after another player got injured. Justin scored his very first NHL goal on January 3, 2017. He scored it against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers.

During the 2017–18 season, Justin faced a one-game suspension in the AHL. This was for a high hit on another player. But before he could serve it, he was called up to the NHL again. He played 5 games for the Sabres before being sent back to the AHL. He served his suspension then.

Bailey with the Rochester Americans in 2017.

Moving to the Philadelphia Flyers

The Sabres traded Justin Bailey to the Philadelphia Flyers in January 2019. In return, the Sabres received another forward, Taylor Leier. Justin was sent to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This team is the Flyers' minor league affiliate in the AHL. The Flyers wanted to see if he could earn a spot on their main NHL team.

Justin was called up to the Flyers in February. This happened because the team thought another player might be traded. Even after that player was traded, Justin found it hard to stay in the Flyers' lineup. He spent most of his time playing for Lehigh Valley. Between February and April, he moved between the two teams 10 times. He finished the season with the Flyers. Overall, he played 11 games for Philadelphia and 17 for Lehigh Valley. The Flyers did not offer him a new contract. This made him a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Joining the Vancouver Canucks

On July 4, 2019, Justin signed a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks. This contract allowed him to play for both the NHL team and their minor league team.

In January 2020, the Canucks called Justin up from the Utica Comets, their AHL team. This was because another player, Tyler Motte, was injured. Justin played in two games before the 2019–20 NHL season was paused.

In February 2021, Justin got injured after playing only 3 games. The injury needed surgery. This meant he missed the rest of that season.

Time with the Edmonton Oilers

After his contract with the Canucks ended, Justin became a free agent. He didn't get an NHL contract right away. So, in September 2022, he signed a one-year AHL deal. This was with the Bakersfield Condors. During the 2022–23 AHL season, Justin scored 10 points in his first 16 games. This good performance led him to sign a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers are the NHL team linked to the Condors. He stayed with the Condors for the rest of his contract. He scored 32 points in 58 regular season games.

Playing for the San Jose Sharks

After his contract with the Oilers ended, Justin was again a free agent. He joined the San Jose Sharks training camp in 2023. In October 2023, he signed a one-year contract with the San Jose Barracuda. This is the Sharks' AHL team. He scored 6 goals and 11 points in 16 games. For the second year in a row, Justin earned an NHL contract during the season. He signed a one-year contract with the Sharks in November 2023.

The Sharks had many injured players. So, Justin was immediately called up to the NHL. He played his first game for the Sharks on the same day. He even helped set up the winning goal in a 2–1 victory. In June 2024, he signed another one-year contract with the Sharks.

Traded to the Anaheim Ducks

In January 2025, during his second season with the Sharks, Justin was traded. He moved to the Anaheim Ducks. In exchange, the Sharks received another player named Pavol Regenda.

Off the Ice: Justin's Family Life

Justin Bailey is the son of Carlton Bailey. His father was a famous Buffalo Bills linebacker. Justin was raised by his mother, Karen Buscaglia.