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Williams: Caps boast all the championship ‘ingredients’

Washington Capitals new right wing Justin Williams

Washington Capitals new right wing Justin Williams

The Washington Post/Getty Images

Stout defense, big-time scorers, grit and goaltending. Justin Williams believes that the Washington Capitals boast every element you’d expect to see in a winning team, as the Washington Post reports.

“Obviously you need to earn respect of the league, and certainly L.A. has done that, and Washington is certainly doing that the way they’ve played the last couple years,” Williams said. “Not making playoffs, you get to watch a little hockey, and I watched a lot last year. They were tough to play against, good goalie, dynamic players, good defense, all the ingredients of a championship team.”

The 33-year-old winger would know a contender when he sees it, right?

He already has three Stanley Cup victories with two different teams (two with the Los Angeles Kings, one with the Carolina Hurricanes) under his belt.

Let’s face it: it’s also easier to take his stance seriously considering how much of a relative bargain his two-year, $6.5 million contract is.

It’s one thing when a free agent seems to land a huge payday and you get the impression that said player is burying the big-money lead, but perhaps Williams could have grabbed a bigger contract if winning wasn’t as much of a priority? Not many players win a Conn Smythe and then see a decrease in pay, after all.

As excited as T.J. Oshie may be to join the Capitals, Williams stands as arguably the more interesting addition: a strong two-way player with playoff credentials. It helps that he clearly singled out Washington as a strong destination, too.

(H/T to The Score.)