As an upcoming unrestricted free agent, Carolina Hurricanes captain Justin Williams will have some big decisions to make this offseason.
The Canes were bounced by the Boston Bruins during an Eastern Conference Final in which Williams did not perform particularly well, got trolled by Brad Marchand and gave some pretty bizarre postgame quotes during.
But as free agency approaches, the 38-year-old isn’t rushing to make up his mind as to where he’ll land next.
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Williams said via NHL.com’s Kurt Dusterberg. “You don’t do those things irrationally. You put thought into it. You find out inside whether you have the full capabilities emotionally and physically to do it. I put everything I had into it this year. If I have everything again, then I’ll be here.”
Leaving Carolina, however, doesn’t appear to be his top option.
“I’ve set up shop here and I’m very comfortable here,” Williams said. “I’m not quite sure where anything else would go.”
Williams has won three Stanley Cups in his 20-year career, once with the Hurricanes in 2006 and twice with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. Defenseman Brett Pesce, lauded Williams for his work this season.
“He was arguably the most important piece we had this year,” he said. “… He leads by example. There’s not a practice where he’s taking a practice off. He’s always giving it his all. To see a guy who is 37 or 38 definitely gives me no excuse to take any days off. Guys took that to heart this year. I know I did.”
Williams won’t have to make a decision on his free agency until July 1, so there’s still plenty of time for him to determine what exactly he wants to do with his future.
