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Garnet "Ace" Bailey

Becomes A Hockey Scout



After ending his playing career, Bailey coached with the Houston Apollos and Wichita Wind for a year each, then became a scout for the Oilers. He was an Oilers scout for thirteen years and helped the team to five Stanley Cups before becoming director of pro scouting for the Los Angeles Kings in 1994.



On September 11, 2001, Bailey was on United Airlines Flight 175, en route from Boston to Los Angeles, when the plane was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. All on board were killed in the resulting fire-ball, which destroyed the tower. In his memory, his family established the Ace Bailey Children's Fund, which benefits children who need medical care.

Career Statistics

Yr Team League GP G AST PTS PIM
BOS: Boston Bruins; DET: Detroit Red Wings; EDM: Edmonton Oilers; HOU: Houston Apollos; HRS: Hershey Bears; OKL: Oklahoma City Blazers; STL: St. Louis Blues; WAS: Washington Capitals; WCH: Wichita Wind.
1967-68 OKL CHL 34 8 13 21 67
1968-69 HER AHL 60 24 32 56 104
1968-69 BOS NHL 8 3 3 6 10
1969-70 BOS NHL 58 11 11 22 82
1970-71 OKL CHL 11 3 8 11 28
1970-71 BOS NHL 36 0 6 6 44
1971-72 BOS NHL 73 9 13 22 64
1972-73 BOS NHL 57 8 13 21 89
1972-73 DET NHL 13 2 11 13 16
1973-74 DET NHL 45 9 14 23 33
1973-74 STL NHL 22 7 3 10 20
1974-75 STL NHL 49 15 26 41 113
1974-75 WAS NHL 22 4 13 17 8
1975-76 WAS NHL 67 13 19 32 75
1976-77 WAS NHL 78 19 27 46 51
1977-78 WAS NHL 40 7 12 19 28
1978-79 EDM WHA 38 5 4 9 22
1979-80 HOU CHL 7 1 0 1 0
1980-81 WCH CHL 1 0 0 0 2
WHA Totals 38 5 4 9 22
NHL Totals 568 107 171 278 633

Bailey was admired and respected by his colleagues. The Dailey News of Los Angeles reported the feelings of Ray Bennett, the assistant coach of the Kings, after his death. "Ace, if you were introduced to him, you knew him. He didn't just shake your hand. He grabbed your arm. He slapped you on the back.… He under-stood that this game is really about relationships and the people you meet." In an article on the International Ice Hockey Federation Web site, a reporter quoted Wayne Gretzky, who said, "Ace may not have been the greatest hockey player to play in the NHL, but he taught many players how to win championships and more importantly, he was a winner as a person. We will all miss him greatly."

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsHockeyGarnet "Ace" Bailey Biography - Son Of A Hockey Player, "coach, I Used It Every Day", Chronology, Becomes A Hockey Scout