Jason Bailey has left the University of Michigan to play major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Ottawa 67's.The 19-year-old Bailey, a forward, was the 67's second-round pick (40th overall) in the 2003 OHL Priority Selection, but opted to become a Wolverine. He was also a third-round pick (63rd overall) of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
"I just didn't feel like I was playing enough games there (at Michigan) and I think the OHL is more my style of hockey," said Bailey to the Ottawa Sun.
Bailey has dual citizenship with Canada and the United States and has gained international experience by representing both countries recently. In 2003, Bailey was a member of the gold medal-winning Team Ontario at the World U-17 Championship. Bailey has also suited up for the U.S. in the Compuware Four Nations Cup with the National U-18 team, as well as in the 2005 IIHF World U-18 Championship in the Czech Republic.
From 2003-2005, Bailey played for the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor.
Last season, the Nepean, Ontario, native (suburb of Ottawa) had five goals and seven points in 27 games and this season hadn't registered a point in 19 games.
Bailey came in a season ago with a class of 11 players and joins classmates Zac MacVoy and Tyler Swystun who left after last season.
"Kids aren't willing to persevere any more,'' U-M head coach Red Berenson said in the Ann Arbor News. "They're not willing to say they're going to come back next year and be better.
"Obviously, he was disappointed in his game and his ice time and his role on the team. We had a good meeting, and the way we left it, he was coming back. But his family intervened and moved him out.''
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