Confirmed with Link: Caps sign RW Justin Williams (two years, $3.25M)

[RandyHolt]

Great signing. I would like to see another forward added that will help set a playoff pace and wake up this team from its dump and hunker ways.

Sure it's a great rate and fills a need but rates were tempered yesterday, and Washington as a city and Ovi I think make us a good destination for a guy used to LA.

I hope he is a good fit with Backstrom. He needs a RW more than Ovi needs a RW, a guy he can dish on the rush using his forehand.

 

[KevinM]

Great term, great value, hopefully the guy still has something left in the tank.

 

[Xaroc]

GMBM said he was looking for one thing. An established veteran forward that Trotz could plug into the first line. He has done that. I would not expect more. I would not expect Johansson or Brouwer to be ditched unless Johansson won't sign a contract.

RW: Williams, Brouwer, Wilson, O'Brien/Galiev.

You are forgetting Bura he is a RW unless they are changing him to center.

 

[Xaroc]

HERO chart is fantastic: http://public.tableau.com/shared/B7TWW9H92?:display_count=yes

Also, his effect on teammates over the years:

http://public.tableau.com/shared/JB4PM8QGQ?:display_count=yes

Can't believe we landed him for such a reasonable deal.

 

[MiKE5889]

BMac has really had two really good years in free agency. Added Nisky and Orpik last year, repairing a broken team defense. Adding Williams this year, who could be Knuble 2.0. Hopefully he continues the trend of last year and adds one more forward.

An interesting name still out there is Shawn Matthias. Previously held a cap hit of 1.75 million. Adding him as our 3C at around 2 million would be a really nice consolation prize, if the market for another top 6 forward dries up.

 

[txpd]

Seems very likley I agree. Gotta believe that they go with Galiev over O'Brien though, as the second year of Galiev's contract is one-way. Makes a lot of sense to give him ice time this year, so that they know what they will get once the second half of that contract kicks in.

There will be two spare forwards. There will be games where they want a heavier/tougher 4th line Galiev is not a 4th line player and will play on the 4th line to prepare for filling in higher in the lineup.

 

[Stewie G]

Thanks Coach!

 

[txpd]

You are forgetting Bura he is a RW unless they are changing him to center.

Not forgetting Bura at all. He played left wing in the playoffs. I am sure he may get some rw time. Trotz will use Williams, Wilson, Burakovsky and Galiev on the first line rw at one time or another thru the season. I expect, though, that Burakovsky plays far more LW and even center than RW.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Williams has almost 2x the # of Game 7 wins as the entire Capitals franchise.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

You are forgetting Bura he is a RW unless they are changing him to center.

I was confused over this as well. Burakovsky was a LSLW in Erie. I assume that's where he's most comfortable.

 

[Carlzner]

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 25m25 minutes ago
Spoke with Justin Williams' agent. "Quite frankly, there was more money from another team, but this was what Justin felt was the best fit."

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 24m24 minutes ago
Last night, his agent said, Williams talked with Barry Trotz about his fit in Washington. A half-hour later, the deal was done.

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 23m23 minutes ago
One more: "We saw Washington as a contender and we saw Washington as having possibly, probably, the best player in the league in his prime."

 

[Blades of Steel]

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 25m25 minutes ago
Spoke with Justin Williams' agent. "Quite frankly, there was more money from another team, but this was what Justin felt was the best fit."

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 24m24 minutes ago
Last night, his agent said, Williams talked with Barry Trotz about his fit in Washington. A half-hour later, the deal was done.

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 23m23 minutes ago
One more: "We saw Washington as a contender and we saw Washington as having possibly, probably, the best player in the league in his prime."

thanks for these quotes

I like JW already cause he's in it to win it, not for the money. That says a lot about his character right there. His presence off the ice will be just as big as on the ice IMO.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Williams has almost 2x the # of Game 7 wins as the entire Capitals franchise.

Teams are 7-0 with JW in the line up in game 7s



we needed him years ago

 

[strungout]

The Trotz factor.

 

[Blades of Steel]

The Trotz factor.

I now really think it was about ice time as an important factor as well as the other reasons, i'm sure trotz told him you'll be 1rw or 2rw.

in LA he may have been 3 or 4rw especially after Lucic signed.

 

[g00n]

The Trotz factor.

Yet another reason a real NHL coach matters. Thanks, GMGM, for wasting all those years on project coaches who couldn't attract flies to a pile of ****.

 

[Raikkonen]

Since when Lucic is RW?!

Nevermind, wanted to say this team basically is Washington Ovechkins.

Nice to hear players recognize Ovi much better than some media.

Already loving Just Williams.

 

[Roughing]

Yet another reason a real NHL coach matters. Thanks, GMGM, for wasting all those years on project coaches who couldn't attract flies to a pile of ****.

Breathe, man. GM left us some talent and an assistant who learned from all the mistakes. BM got a coach, a D, and a 1RW. He just needs to go get JVR and I'm giddy.

 

[Fishhead]

Hey folks,

Congrats on getting JW, he's just an incredible person and player. He's not about the money, he's about winning. I heard he took less money to sign with you guys, and that's textbook JW. He wants to be there, he's not just there for the paycheck.

We'll miss him in LA.

The best description I can give you of him is that Justin IS the Kings. He's not the best player, he doesn't take over games, he isn't the team in that regard. But what the Kings have embodied over the last 5 or 6 years - the passion to win, to give everything for that guy in the stall next to you, that everyone, from role players to stars, are part of a family with a single purpose... and mostly that refusal to lose and leave completely everything on the ice, well that's Justin.

 

[Fishhead]

I now really think it was about ice time as an important factor as well as the other reasons, i'm sure trotz told him you'll be 1rw or 2rw.

in LA he may have been 3 or 4rw especially after Lucic signed.

When Kopitar's and Lucic's contracts are up, we will have about $14M left for 8 or so players. Giving 3+ to Williams was an impossibility, and the guy absolutely deserves that at this point in the career.

The Kings' room took a big hit with the loss of JW, but you guys will gain incredibly from it. Take care of stick for us

 

[Midnight Judges]

My first reaction to this contract was that the other teams in the NHL blew it big time. The price is almost too good to be true. After hearing JW could have made more elsewhere but wanted to be here, it made a lot more sense. I think he'll be a great fit for this team and this system.

I am terrible at estimating what players should be worth. IMO Mojo isn't worth $3.75M and Kuzya is worth more than the $2.85 people are predicting.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Define worth. 20 goal, 40+ pt players get paid pretty well. Kuz may well be the more valuable player next season, but he's got to produce to get paid.

 

[Cush]

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 24m24 minutes ago

Williams recalled his son, a month ago, saying, "Daddy, if we don’t go back to L.A., you should play with Ovechkin, because he’s the best."

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt 25m25 minutes ago

Williams' son asked him this morning, "Daddy, where are we playing?" He said Washington, "and he was all smiles. That passed the test."

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

That's pretty cool.

 

[SlappaDaBass]

I love him already. It's hard to believe a player actually wanted to play in Washington after the Oates **** show. I think we're one piece away from being a well round team after this pickup.