Josh Bailey will be suiting up north of the border in 2023.
The 15-year Islander, who ranks third in franchise history in games played, signed a professional tryout contract with the Senators, Ottawa announced on Thursday.
That means he will again be working with former Islanders coach Jack Capuano — an assistant on Ottawa’s staff — as well as D.J. Smith, an assistant coach with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires when Bailey played there.
More importantly, it will be a chance for him to be on an NHL roster after going unsigned through the summer.
The Islanders traded Bailey’s $5 million cap hit to the Blackhawks ahead of the draft, with Chicago promptly buying Bailey out.
With most of the league hamstrung under the cap, Bailey was unable to sign an NHL deal anywhere this summer.
In Ottawa, he will be competing with Zack MacEwen, Mathieu Joseph and Egor Sokolov for a spot in the bottom six.
Bailey had eight goals and 17 assists with the Islanders last season but played just 64 games, becoming a healthy scratch in the playoffs.