What happened: Justin Bailey, 31, has signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana of the KHL, taking his career overseas for the first time. The Buffalo Sabres' 2013 second-round pick played 59 games for the San Jose Sharks last season after earning a recall from the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, scoring five goals and 14 points.

Why it matters: Bailey was San Jose's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, though the award went to Connor Ingram of the Arizona Coyotes. His five goals were his first since the 2017-18 season with Buffalo, a modest bounce-back before the move to Kazakhstan. He had spent the time since leaving the Sharks organization with the Anaheim Ducks' AHL affiliate in San Diego.

What to watch: Bailey reports to Barys Astana for the 2026-27 KHL season, his first playing outside North America.