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Flyers trade Taylor Leier to Sabres for minor-league winger Justin Bailey

The team picked up Justin Bailey, who has played in parts of three seasons with Buffalo.

Flyers left wing Taylor Leier skates during the preseason.  YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Flyers left wing Taylor Leier skates during the preseason. YONG KIM / Staff PhotographerRead moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

In an exchange of minor-league forwards, the Flyers acquired Justin Bailey from the Buffalo Sabres for Taylor Leier on Thursday night.

Bailey, 23, the son of a former NFL player, has appeared in 37 games this season for Rochester, Buffalo’s AHL affiliate. He had nine goals and 11 assists.

A 6-foot-4, 214-pound Buffalo native with a hard shot and good speed, Bailey has split time between Rochester and the Sabres in each of the last three seasons.

In 52 career NHL games, Bailey has five goals and three assists. His first career goal was a highlight-film score against the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist.

Bailey, whose father, Carlton, was a linebacker with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, was a 20-goal scorer in each of his first two AHL seasons. He was selected by the Sabres in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2013 NHL draft.

The speedy Leier, 24, had 10 goals and nine assists in 34 games for the Phantoms this season. He made the Flyers out of training camp last season and appeared in 39 games, collecting a goal and four assists while averaging 10:29 of ice time per game.

Leier appeared in 55 games for the Flyers over three seasons, totaling two goals and five assists. He was selected by the Flyers in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2012 draft.