RALEIGH, NC. - The National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes today announced that former Hurricanes forward Justin Williams will become the fifth player inducted into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame, alongside Rod Brind’Amour, Ron Francis, Cam Ward and Glen Wesley. Williams will be formally honored during the Hurricanes’ Hall of Fame Game on Monday, Jan. 15.
Williams, 42, tallied 316 points (128g, 188a) in 449 regular-season games with the Hurricanes over parts of eight seasons (2004-09, 2017-20) and added 26 points (12g, 14a) in 47 playoff contests with the team. He ranks top-10 in Hurricanes history in goals, assists, even-strength goals (84), even-strength points (208), power-play goals (38), shorthanded goals (6), shorthanded points (11) and game-winning goals (21), and 11 of his 12 playoff goals came at even strength, tied for the third-most in Hurricanes playoff history. Williams posted 18 points (7g, 11a) in 25 games during Carolina’s run to the first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2006, finishing tied for third on the team in postseason scoring and potting the empty-net goal to cap the Hurricanes’ Cup-clinching win over the Oilers. He was later named the eighth different captain in Hurricanes history on Sept. 13, 2018, and in the following season, he led Carolina to its first Stanley Cup Playoff berth in 10 years.
Selected by Philadelphia in the first round, 28th overall, of the 2000 NHL Draft, Williams was acquired from the Flyers in exchange for Danny Markov on Jan. 20, 2004. He was later traded to Los Angeles in exchange for Patrick O’Sullivan and a second-round pick in the 2009 NHL Draft (Brian Dumoulin) on March 4, 2009, and he spent parts of nine seasons with the Kings and Capitals before re-signing with the Hurricanes as a free agent on July 1, 2017. Williams finished his career with 797 points (320g, 477a) in 1,264 regular-season games with Philadelphia, Carolina, Los Angeles and Washington, and he also earned 102 points (41g, 61a) in 162 playoff contests with those four franchises.
Williams captured two Stanley Cups with Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014, registering 54 points (22g, 32a) in 73 playoff games with the team. He also won the 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the postseason. Nicknamed “Mr. Game 7,” Williams posted 15 points (7g, 8a) and a +10 rating in nine Game 7s during his NHL career. His teams earned an 8-1 record and a +18 goal differential in Game 7, as he factored on the game-winning goal in six of those eight wins (2g, 4a). Williams posted five points (2g, 3a) and a +4 rating in three Game 7 victories with Carolina, tallying a primary assist on the game-winning goals in the 2006 Eastern Conference Final against Buffalo and the 2019 Eastern Conference First Round against Washington. His 15 points in Game 7 are the most by any skater in NHL history, and his seven goals are tied with Glenn Anderson for the most all-time. Williams’ eight Game 7 wins are also tied with Anderson, Ray Bourque, Carl Hagelin, Ryan McDonagh and Brad Richards for the most in league history, and only Richards (8-0) posted a better record in those contests.
Eligible Players for the Hurricanes Hall of Fame include skaters who have played at least 250 games with the team, goaltenders who have played at least 100 games with the team and any skaters or goaltenders who have won the Stanley Cup or other major NHL awards during their tenure with the team. Players must demonstrate exceptional attributes in the areas of playing ability, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the Hurricanes, and they must not have played in a professional or international game during the season prior to their election. Nominations were submitted to Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell by all members of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, and all committee members voted by secret ballot for one nominated Player. Rod Brind’Amour, Ron Francis and Glen Wesley were automatically inducted to the Hurricanes Hall of Fame as players whose jersey numbers had previously been retired by the team.
