Winger Casey Bailey of Anchorage, who last week signed a two-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, is likely to make his NHL debut Thursday night and become the 15th Alaskan to play in the world's best hockey league.
Bailey, 23, practiced with the Maple Leafs on Wednesday and Toronto coach Peter Horachek told media the rookie will probably play Thursday when the Maple Leafs entertain the Florida Panthers.
Bailey, who last week finished his junior season at Penn State, would become the fifth Alaskan to debut in the NHL without previously playing a minor-league pro game. Ty Jones, Barrett Heisten, Scott Gomez and Matt Carle moved straight to the NHL from either the major-junior or college ranks.
Bailey also would become the fifth Alaskan currently playing in the NHL -- the other four, all from Anchorage, are all veterans. Gomez, 35, is a center with the New Jersey Devils and a two-time Stanley Cup winner. Carle, 30, plays defense for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brandon Dubinsky, 28, plays center for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Nate Thompson, 30, is a center with the Anaheim Ducks.
Bailey would become the first Alaskan to debut in the NHL since winger Justin Johnson of Anchorage last spring debuted at 32 with the New York Islanders. Johnson's debut completed his improbable story. He was twice cut by the ECHL's Alaska Aces, the team he currently plays for, and spent four seasons in the ECHL before he advanced to the American Hockey League, one rung below the NHL on the North American hockey ladder.
According to the Toronto Star, Bailey's deal will pay him a pro-rated $900,000 in the NHL this season and $925,000 in the NHL next season.
Bailey, voted first-team Big Ten recently, chose to forego his senior season at Penn State after his 22-goal, 40-point campaign in 37 games as a junior made the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder a coveted free agent with his choice of NHL teams. Toronto is a storied franchise in a rebuilding mode, make it an attractive landing spot for a young player.
The Maple Leafs assigned Bailey No. 37.
Bailey's debut would come just one week after his college career ended and three seasons after he scored the first goal in Penn State varsity history after its club program made the move to Division I.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr