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'Mr. Game 7' comes to the team that needs him most
To say Justin Williams has given it his all in Game 7's over the course of his career is almost an understatement.
Williams, who signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract on July 1 with the Washington Capitals, has played in seven Game 7's in his 14-year career. His teams have gone 7-0.
"I have good numbers, but it's obviously a product of the teams I've played on," Williams said in his first press conference in Washington. "I've won championships because of it. But, I mean, Game 7's are just little plays here and there that make differences. It's a goal here or there, it's a blocked shot. It's minuscule things that add up to the end result."
But Williams is generally the guy that gets that goal here and there for his teams. In his seven career games, Williams has seven goals (tied for an NHL record) and seven assists, giving him 14 total points and an NHL record. And now, he's joining a team that has gone 4-10 all-time in those Game 7's.
Williams' Los Angeles Kings didn't make the playoffs this season, giving him lots of time to watch other teams play in the playoffs, including the Capitals.
"Obviously you need to earn the respect of the league," Williams said. "L.A. has done that, and Washington is certainly doing that with the way they have played the last few years. Not making the playoffs, I was able to watch a little bit of hockey, and I watched (the Capitals) play last year. They are tough to play against. Good goalie, dynamic players, good defense. So, all the ingredients of a championship team."
Williams wasn't the only piece the Capitals added this offseason. Just a couple days of adding Williams, the Capitals sent Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley and a 2016 third-round draft pick for St. Louis Blues forward T.J. Oshie. The Capitals don't get to see Oshie play too often, as the Blues are in the Western Conference and the Capitals are in the Eastern Conference, but Williams has seen plenty of Oshie.
"We've played a couple of playoff series together, that I will remind him that I ended up on top," Williams said with a chuckle. "He's a little pit bull. He hits like a truck and can stickhandle through a phone booth. He's got a lot of great qualities. I saw (the trade), and I was instantly very excited. That's what you want. You want some excitement."
Williams has played critical roles in each of his teams' playoff successes. But Williams understands that he doesn't really have to be the premiere guy in Washington. With an electric goal scorer like Alex Ovechkin, and elite centers like Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov, there are plenty of other guys that could get that timely goal for the Capitals.
"I'm just going to come in and take it all in," Williams said. "I'm just going to be me. I'm not going to try to be someone I'm not. This certainly isn't my team. I'm here to be a piece, and I hope it's going to be a good fit."
The Capitals franchise celebrated it's 40th year of existence this past season, and within those 40 years, the team hasn't won a single Stanley Cup. In fact, the team has only one Stanley Cup Final appearance in its 40 years, where they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1998 Final. Williams has won it three times with two different teams, and his goal is to find that winning formula with a different team.
"I learned what it takes to win," Williams said. "Winning, you want to celebrate with the people you care about. Celebrate with your teammates, with your family. You know the qualities and how hard it is, and when you do do it, the feeling is so good you just want to keep doing it. I want to try to win one with a different group of guys."
Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
