The Washington Capitals have signed free agent right winger Justin Williams to a two year contract worth six and a half million dollars.
Much of the talk surrounding the team going into the offseason concerned the need to address the position of first line right winger to play alongside left winger Alex Ovechkin and center Nicklas Backstrom.
General Manager Brian MacLellan felt the free agent market this summer was weak and that the team would look into acquiring a right winger for Ovechkin and Backstrom via the trade market.
The veteran of 918 career games has been a member of the Los Angeles Kings since 2008 where he won two Stanley Cups and was awarded the 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. Williams previously won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.
“Justin is a proven winner and we feel he will be a great addition to our club,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said in a statement released about the signing. “We felt it was important for our team to add someone of his caliber, as a hockey player and veteran leader.”
Williams, 33, a native of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, has recorded 227 goals and 355 assists for 582 points in his 16 year career. He has also built a reputation for being a playoff hero. Possibly his most notable playoff goal came in overtime of Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals versus the New York Rangers.
The Ontario native has an NHL-record 14 points in seven career Game 7’s. His seven Game 7 goals are tied for the NHL record. He is a perfect 7-0 in Game 7’s.
Williams has represented Canada three times at the World Championships. That includes winning gold medals in 2004 and 2007.