The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a two-year, $9 million contract with Justin Williams on the first day of NHL free agency, reports TSN hockey analyst Aaron Ward. The deal has a $4.5 million annual cap hit through the 2018-19 season.
Carolina Hurricanes sign playoff hero Justin Williams
The Hurricanes bring Justin Williams back into the fold for two years.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Williams won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes during the 2005-06 season.
The forward has also won two other Stanley Cups, both with the Los Angeles Kings (2011-12, 2013-14). In 140 playoff games, Williams has scored 36 goals and registered 94 points. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP in 2014 with the Kings, cementing his status as one of the best playoffs performers in NHL history.
That never quite translated to his time with the Capitals, at least not with any hardware. Williams was once again strong in his two D.C. playoff runs (16 points in 25 games) but the Capitals never advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.
Now, with the Hurricanes again, Williams can help boost Carolina from a fringe playoff team to a playoff contender. Though the Hurricanes are not on a win-now track like the Capitals are, Williams adds a veteran presence that can shepherd Carolina over the next two years.
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