Dallas Stars Should Send An Offer To Justin Williams
By Josh Clark
The free agency frenzy is just around the corner, and the top need on the Dallas Stars’ list is at the right wing position. Could Justin Williams help fill the hole?
You have to give some serious credit to Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill this offseason. Not only has he perfectly navigated this frantic offseason so far, but he has also taken every opportunity possible to get things done ahead of time.
It feels like things have been going a mile a minute since each NHL team turned in their protected lists on Jun. 17. Since then, there has been the protected list reveal, the NHL Awards and expansion draft, seven rounds of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and finally a negotiating window for free agents and their former teams.
But Nill has balanced it all with great poise. He turned in a solid protection list, making sure the Stars lost as little as possible (which eventually turned out to be Cody Eakin) so they could quickly replace the negation. He drafted a fine 2017 NHL class for the Dallas Stars, finding a potential franchise player in each area of play. And to top it all off, he qualified all of the correct RFAs and waived goaltender Antti Niemi to get the Stars down to the proper two-goalie setup.
Not only has he kept up with the hustle and bustle of the NHL, but he has wasted no time in getting ahead. The Stars had some serious issues that needed immediate fixing when they started the offseason on Apr. 9. That being said, Nill got to work. Within the first month of the offseason, he had hired Ken Hitchcock to be the new head coach and traded for elite goaltender Ben Bishop to be the Stars’ new starter. And this past Monday, he traded for veteran defenseman Marc Methot.
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That took care of three glaring problems for the Dallas Stars, giving them less to worry about on July 1 when the free agency period opens up. But there are still issues that need to be addressed, primarily on the right wing.
The Stars’ lineup is quickly filing into place. Their defense and goaltending look ready to go, but the offense needs a few more tweaks. The left wings are solidified, and there is plenty of depth at the center position. The right wing is where the Stars are hurting.
With Patrick Sharp and Ales Hemsky becoming UFAs, Dallas now has two natural right wings on their roster, being Adam Cracknell and Brett Ritchie. Neither are ready to take on a top-three role or even top-six role. That being said, the Stars will need to find someone to fill those roles.
There is still the lingering chance that the Dallas Stars re-sign Sharp and/or Hemsky, but with the free agency market opening on Saturday and no contracts being announced, it’s becoming less and less likely. The Stars have had the past four days to negotiate with their pending free agents, so it seems as though they would already have a deal in place if they were planning on bringing either of them back.
That’s why they should make a strong push at RW Justin Williams. All signs point to him being out of Washington after two seasons with the team, and there are bound to be many teams interested in his services.
That’s because Williams is still a dynamic and powerful winger at the age of 35. In his two seasons with the Caps, he scored 46 goals and tallied 100 points. He also finished with an outstanding +29 rating. That was all done while skating an average of 16:04 each game.
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He can get physical when fighting for the puck and possesses great skating skills, though he’s not incredibly fast. He’s a precise and accurate shooter, and can create his own chances. Not only that, but he’s also known as a strong defensive forward, meaning he could really thrive in a Ken Hitchcock system.
Though this isn’t necessarily a statistic or measurement, Williams is known for showing up when his team needs him the most. His nickname is Mr. Game 7 due to his incredible poise in clutch moments. It’s never a bad idea to have a guy like that in your corner that can carry the team when no one else can.
Williams is one of the most sought-after right wings on the market right now, with plenty of teams expressing interest. The Stars have already been linked to his name multiple times and have shown significant interest.
As a three-time Stanley Cup on the last few years of his career, Williams wants to finish on a high note and go to a team with a serious chance to win. After the offseason Dallas has had, the ugly 2016-17 season seems like a distant memory. They could make some serious noise this coming season.
Williams is likely looking for a multi-year contract so he can play at least two more years before considering retirement, and Dallas could give him a deal like that. With around $18 million in cap space, the Stars could give him a two-year deal with an AAV of about $3 million or even slightly lower than that. But Dallas really shouldn’t go any further than that.
The Stars can’t officially offer him a contract or sign him until July 1, but expect them to give him a call at 11 a.m. on Saturday when the window opens up.
With a lot of teams likely in the Williams sweepstakes, Nill will need to be careful with where his offers go and to not get sucked into a bidding war. He’s a smart GM, so that won’t be a problem.
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The Dallas Stars need some help up front on the right wing, and Williams needs a team that is ready to win now. This could be a perfect fit. It all depends on what Williams is thinking come July 1 and what the Stars are willing to send his way.
Just 33 more hours or so.