Casey Bailey, LW NCAA UFA Penn State

[IronMarshal]

My son is a freshman at Penn State and has been singing the praises of Casey Bailey a 6’3, 200 lb sniper from PSU who happens to be one of those NCAA UFA players the Flyers like to zoom in on. He said he sees Flyers scouts, sometimes two of them at a lot of PSU games. He sounds like a guy who may be able to play with G and Jake as the big winger/sniper. My son said that he has heard that the Flyers and Bruins seem to have the inside track on everybody else (could be hopeful thinking).
Any thoughts here?

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[LegionOfDoom91]

He's probably one of the better college UFA's this year. I don't know what his future holds but it won't cost us anything in terms assests so there's no downside to signing him.

He could potentially provide depth down in the minors for next year as the Phantoms might be losing some guys upfront & don't really have any other guys coming in at least in terms of prospects.

 

[bearcountry17]

Bruins need all the big wingers they can get. Outside of Ferlin, who isn't really anything special though i like him, the only big winger with upside they got is Peter Cehlarik and some real long shot/low upside guys like Colton Hargrove and Justin Florek.

 

[FLYguy3911]

The Flyers are always on the top college FAs until it comes down to actually signing them.

 

[BillDineen]

Now that they are out, they could sign him, play him and burn a year off his ELC if their is significant competition to sign him.

EDIT: Overall free agent wish list is (all on ELCs):

1- Nikita Zaitsev - 57 12 20 32 Right Handed D - 6'1 187 lbs age 23 - Previously rumored name has developed well.
2- Artemi Panarin - 54 26 36 62 - LW - 5'11 170 lbs age 23 - Near top of KHL scoring - TBL and Habs have had success with undersized skilled players, Flyers could try as well.
3- Casey Bailey
4- Matt O'Connor - BU - 27 2.21 .927 - G - 6'6 205 lbs age 23 - Huge goalie.

 

[Newest sens fan]

Now that they are out, they could sign him, play him and burn a year off his ELC if their is significant competition to sign him.

EDIT: Overall free agent wish list is (all on ELCs):

1- Nikita Zaitsev - 57 12 20 32 Right Handed D - 6'1 187 lbs age 23 - Previously rumored name has developed well.
2- Artemi Panarin - 54 26 36 62 - LW - 5'11 170 lbs age 23 - Near top of KHL scoring - TBL and Habs have had success with undersized skilled players, Flyers could try as well.
3- Casey Bailey
4- Matt O'Connor - BU - 27 2.21 .927 - G - 6'6 205 lbs age 23 - Huge goalie.

I would not mind any/all of them, especially O'Connor he is absolutely killing it this year.

 

[GKJ]

Zaitsev is someone I liked for a while. I know the Flyers have been scouting him forever.

 

[sobrien]

How is the skating of Bailey and the others being discussed?

 

[Fire Tortorella]

Zaitsev is someone I liked for a while. I know the Flyers have been scouting him forever.

There was someone on the KHL board a while ago who said the Flyers were interested in him. I think it was last season.

 

[FLYguy3911]

There was someone on the KHL board a while ago who said the Flyers were interested in him. I think it was last season.

Yeah and never elaborated on it. Who knows if Hextall still has the same interest. I would hope so, but you never know.

 

[GKJ]

There was someone on the KHL board a while ago who said the Flyers were interested in him. I think it was last season.

It's been a few years. I remember participating in a mock draft where I took him based on hearing they had interest. Surprised I'm seeing his name come up again though, but it looks like he's a pretty good player over there.

 

[Roo Mad Bro]

It was 2 years ago when they had reported interest.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1402861&highlight=zaitsev

 

[FLYguy3911]

 

[FLYguy3911]

Done deal. Toronto.

 

[Chinatown88]

Dang it was hoping to sign him. Oh well there's more college free agents out there.

 

[Striiker]

Why would anybody go to Toronto of their own free will?

 

[Chinatown88]

Why would anybody go to Toronto of their own free will?

It's a mystery.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Can't even get a kid from Penn St.

 

[GKJ]

The Leafs probably offered the most money and promised him early playing time. We'll see.

 

[Striiker]

Can't even get a kid from Penn St.

Think we should start a petition demanding Hextall's resignation?

 

[Chinatown88]

How can we not sign someone from our own backyard?

 

[FLYguy3911]

The Leafs probably offered the most money and promised him early playing time. We'll see.

It's an ELC but yeah the playing time is the key. Flyers never seem willing or able to offer it.

 

[Curufinwe]

Buffalo was the favorite to get him and they have plenty of ice time to spare.

@TSNBobMcKenzie: Most assumed BUF, with owner Terry Pegula's connection to Penn State, would get Bailey, but TOR aggressively pursued.

 

[IronMarshal]

My son told me a couple of weeks ago that it looked like Pegula was going to get him in Buffalo. Bummer that the Laffs got him.

 

[GKJ]

It's an ELC but yeah the playing time is the key. Flyers never seem willing or able to offer it.

If he gets the early playing time, he gets paid NHL money. When the Penguins and Flyers were fighting over Eric Hartzell (remember him?), the Penguins got him and left him on the NHL roster so he would get paid. Your contract also comes up sooner, so if you're on a 2-year ELC and you run the first year right now, he already needs a new contract next season, but I think you still have to play (Hartzell didn't).

Flyers are more likely unable to offer it. They're always capped out, without roster space, and usually in a playoff push. So they can't play him, can't pay him, and can't run the first year of the contract.

All of this is why you often see these guys end up on bad teams.



Buffalo was mentioned once before, I know they felt pretty good they'd get him. Terry Pegula is probably upset, I'm sure he would have liked to see the first Penn State alum to make the NHL be under his watch. He's more likely to get lost in the shuffle in Buffalo as opposed to Toronto.