All signs point to 38-year-old Justin Williams gearing up for a return to the NHL. According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the three-time Stanley Cup champion has been skating for the last month or so on his own and has been in touch with the Carolina Hurricanes about getting back in the game.
"He could return. It's not 100 per cent decided at all, but he's been ramping up his skating, skating by himself the last three to four weeks," LeBrun said on Insider Trading. "And there has been talk back and forth between his camp and the Carolina Hurricanes. That certainly would be the team of choice, the frontrunner for if he decides to come back. However, the Hurricanes are tight against the cap. Remember, they had the buyout of Patrick Marleau and they signed Jake Gardiner in camp. They can't sign him to that big of a deal."
The Hurricanes currently have about $1.1 million in unused cap space. According to LeBrun, he expects other teams to "poke around."
Williams recorded 23 goals and 53 points in 82 games this past season, his highest offensive totals since the 2011-12 season. He did so while playing out the final season of a two-year, $9 million contract signed with the Hurricanes in 2017, returning to the team eight years after being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He added four goals and seven points in 15 playoff games. While not young in the world of hockey, Williams can still provide a veteran presence while putting numbers on the board, which is bound to garner at least some interest from other teams.
Williams had announced at the beginning of this season that he was taking some time off to contemplate his future. By the looks of things, he's had time to do that and is ready to get back to playing for at least the rest of this season.
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