An NHL veteran has found a place to play next season but he will have some work to do to get an NHL shot. The AHL’s San Diego Gulls, affiliate of the Ducks, announced that they’ve signed winger Justin Bailey to a one-year, one-way contract.
The 30-year-old spent last season in the minors on a one-year, two-way deal but never got an NHL opportunity despite playing in 59 games with the Sharks the year before. Starting off with the Barracuda, Bailey had 14 points in 33 games but he was more productive with the Gulls after being traded to Anaheim back in January. With them, he notched 12 goals and 10 assists in 35 outings.
Over his career, Bailey has played in 141 career NHL contests, picking up 10 goals and 23 assists along the way. He also has recorded 157 hits while averaging a little over ten minutes per game of playing time, primarily on the fourth line. In the minors, however, Bailey has been a much more consistent contributor, picking up 155 goals and 122 assists in 438 games over parts of 10 seasons.
It’s likely that Bailey will officially sign a PTO agreement with Anaheim over the next couple of months, allowing him to suit up for the Ducks in training camp where he’ll count toward their veteran quota for exhibition action.