Nick Bailen

Nick Bailen (born December 12, 1989) is an American-Belarusian professional ice hockey defensemen. He is currently playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Playing career
Undrafted, Bailen played collegiate for RPI Engineers men's ice hockey of ECAC Hockey, an NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference that compete in NCAA Division I ice hockey. After a short stint with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League in 2013, Bailen took his game overseas, spending the 2013–14 season with Tappara of the Finnish top-flight Liiga. He reached the Liiga finals with the team, while making the All-Star team.

His next stop was Belarusian club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL where he played from 2014 to December 2016. On December 21, 2016, he was released from his contract to put pen to paper on a contract with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League.

Bailen returned to the KHL for the following 2017–18 season, after an initial try-out he secured a lucrative two-year deal with Russian club, Traktor Chelyabinsk on September 5, 2017.

International play
On December 1, 2014 he received Belarusian citizenship. In accordance with IIHF rules on nationality, Bailen was eligible to join the Belarusian national team. He received his first caps in 2016.