Bailey Preparing for Draft Day
His first Ontario Hockey League season may be over, but the Rangers Rookie of the Year is still hard at work. Back home in Williamsville, New York, Justin Bailey has not only turned his attention to finishing school, he also got back to training for the upcoming season. And in the back of his head, an important date is looming.
The National Hockey League will hold its annual entry draft on June 30 at the Prudential Centre in New Jersey and Bailey will be anxiously awaiting his name after months of speculation. The young forward was invited earlier this year to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, and was pegged early in the season as an A-level prospect and a possible first round pick. A challenging injury early in the year saw his NHL Central Scouting ranking slip, but when the final list was released, he was slotted comfortably at 38th among North American skaters.
“Obviously I’m a little bit nervous, I want draft day to come. And I know those picks from 20 to 30 are going to be nerve-wracking. Being on the cusp of the first-round, you think about it, but it’s not the end-all, be-all,” explains Bailey, as he took a break between practices.
“There are guys who go first round who don’t make it and there are guys in the seventh round who play in the league for ten years. It’s nice to go early, and it’s easier for those guys, but at the end of the day, it’s about hard work and how much drive you have to get there.”
He put that drive on display at the NHL Scouting Combine at the end of May, showing pro teams his physical potential and meeting face-to-face with several groups for interviews.
“It was cool getting to talk to teams, getting to know them a little bit. The working out was obviously not the most fun, but it was cool to have all those people watching and to show teams what I have.”
And months of media attention in Kitchener and some help from his teammates who had been through the experience before meant he was relatively comfortable with the notoriously odd questioning that prospects face at the Combine.
“I think I was pretty well-prepared for the interviews. The questions are about you, so it’s not like they’re difficult questions to answer.”
When the week was over, Bailey took advantage of invitations from two pro squads to attend their team combines, giving him an extra opportunity to shine.
“I went to Buffalo’s combine, which was cool, because it’s the hometown team. Then I went to Montreal for the Canadiens’, which was tough, schedule-wise. But both places are really nice and they’re both teams that I grew up watching.” The opportunity to make an impression on the Sabres was one that resonated deeply with Justin, whose connection to the club began early in his life and was fostered by his mother, Karen.
“Everyone – my friends, everyone back home – they thought it was exciting that I got to play in a Sabres jersey and go through the locker room. You think about growing up watching them and now getting the chance to show that organization what you have.”
He’s got a few more weeks to prepare for draft day, but in the meantime, he’s had other big news to distract him. Last week, USA Hockey invited Bailey to their Evaluation Camp for the National Men’s Junior Team. He’ll be one of 40 skaters competing for a spot on the roster at this year’s World Juniors in Sweden. Having watched teammate John Gibson backstop the Americans to gold last season, Justin was thrilled by the news and says he’s looking forward to the camp this August.
“It was really special. I remember watching the World Juniors in Buffalo and wanting to play for the US one day. So when I do get to camp, I’m definitely going to do my best to make an impression and make it hard for them not to take me.”
It’s already been a busy off-season, and the best of his summer is yet to come, but Bailey says his favourite part has been spending some time in his hometown.
“It’s good to be home. I’m training and working out, but being with my family and getting to see my mom every day, that’s pretty special.”
CLICK HERE to watch Justin Bailey’s Pre-NHL Draft Video at Rangers Vision Online.
