Stingrays Sign Former NHL Forward Casey Bailey

The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and AHL’s Hershey Bears, have announced the signing of forward Casey Bailey to a standard pro contract for the 2019-20 season. A former standout at Penn State University, Bailey comes to South Carolina having played in the NHL with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

The 27-year-old attacker played for Bratislava Slovan in the KHL last season, his first year playing outside of North America. In 2017-18, Bailey played the entirety of the season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, appearing in all of the team’s 76 regular season games.

Bailey, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, made his NHL debut at the end of the 2014-15 season when he turned pro with the Maple Leafs and became the first-ever Penn State alum to appear in an NHL contest. Bailey also played seven games with Ottawa during the 2016-17 year. That season he was honored as an AHL All-Star when he led the Binghamton Senators with 21 goals.

Before college, he played one season in the USHL with the Omaha Lancers and two years in the BCHL with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.In a corresponding move, the Stingrays have completed a trade to send defender Steve Johnson to the Wheeling Nailers in exchange for future considerations. Johnson is beginning his second professional season and spent time with the Rays, Hershey Bears and Reading Royals during his rookie year.

The 27th season of Stingrays hockey begins in Orlando against the Solar Bears on Saturday. The Stingrays will open their home schedule in North Charleston vs. Orlando next week on Saturday, October 19.

Get your tickets to the team's Opening Night/Pack The House game on October 19 now!

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Photo Credit: Toronto Maple Leafs