Bailey goes to Philly in exchange for forward Taylor Leier.
By Melissa Burgess / Diebytheblade.com
Justin Bailey may get his chance at a full-time NHL spot someday, but it won’t be with the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres announced Thursday evening that they have traded Bailey to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Taylor Leier.
Leier, 24, has appeared in 34 games with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. Overall, he has 136 points in 226 regular-season games with the Phantoms and is in his fifth professional season. He’ll be assigned to the Rochester Americans as a result of the trade.
Leier has 55 NHL games under his belt, many of which came in the 2017-18 season with the Flyers. The Saskatoon native was drafted by Philadelphia 117th overall in 2012. He previously played juniors with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.
Bailey’s time with the Sabres organization ends with him having appeared in 52 NHL games since 2015. A 2013 draft pick (second round), Bailey spent most of the last few years in the AHL with Rochester but was called up to the NHL on several occasions.