Bailey Signs with Rangers

At 17 years of age, Justin Bailey has a long – and hopefully – successful hockey career ahead of him. Friday, he took the next step to his future, signing with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.

Last season, he played for the Long Island Royals Midget Under-16 National Team. He scored 21 goals and added 13 assists in 22 games under head coach (and former NHLer) Pat Lafontaine.

Bailey, a native of Williamsville, N.Y., was selected by Kitchener in the seventh round of the 2011 OHL Priority Selection.

His other option would have been to play in East Lansing, Michigan with Michigan State University’s hockey program, had he not decided to sign with the OHL.

Bailey is eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and is expected to participate in the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. The tournament will be held August 13 through 17 in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

He’ll also attend the Kitchener Rangers’ training camp next month.