Blackhawks get Bailey from Isles; will buy him out
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The Chicago Blackhawks acquired veteran forward Josh Bailey from the New York Islanders on Thursday. They then placed him on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout, according to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston.
A second-round pick in 2026 accompanies Bailey to Chicago in exchange for future considerations.
The ninth overall selection of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft out of the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires, Bailey has appeared in 1,057 NHL games over 15 seasons with the team. He is third all-time in games played in franchise history. He appeared in 64 games in 2022-2023, notching eight goals and 17 assists.
For his career, the Bowmanville, Ont. native has 184 goals and 196 assists.
Internationally, Bailey represented Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Copenhagen.
Bailey was scheduled to enter the final year of a six-year, $30 million deal. While his cap hit is $5 million, Bailey's salary is $3.5 million in real cash.
Blackhawks stay busy
After the Bailey move, Chicago also acquired the rights to pending unrestricted free agent forward Corey Perry on Thursday in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick.
Perry is set to become a free agent on July 1, coming off a two-year, $2 million deal. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports talks are already underway between Perry and the club ahead of Saturday's UFA market opening.
The 38-year-old appeared in 81 games last season for the Lightning, scoring 12 goals and adding 13 assists for 25 points. He also had two goals and three assists in six playoff games as the Lightning were eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round.