WASHINGTON 鈥� The video lasted nearly three minutes, with images and recorded messages celebrating Justin Williams鈥� 1,000th聽career NHL game.
As the tribute played on the Verizon Center scoreboard before Sunday鈥檚 regular-season finale, one shot in particular caught the eye of Capitals forward Tom Wilson.
鈥淲hen you see him winning [the Stanley Cup] with the huge beard and his sigh of relief after it all, those are the cool moments,鈥� Wilson said Wednesday.
鈥淲hen you see a teammate that鈥檚 done it like that, it makes everyone want to get there and enjoy it with him again.鈥�
The Capitals鈥� journey to the Stanley Cup Finals begins in earnest Thursday with Game 1 of their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers [7 p.m., CSN].
With the Capitals looking to finally break through and earn the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history, past champions Williams and Mike Richards could play pivotal roles on a potentially deep playoff run.
Richards (129 career playoffs games) and Williams (115 games) have the most playoff experience on either roster in the Capitals-Flyers series and both have collected plenty of postseason hardware. Williams won the 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, while Richards is a two-time Cup champion.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see him play in the playoffs,鈥� forward Jason Chimera said of Richards. 鈥淗e鈥檚 one of those guys that gets it done. He always brings out the physicality. Guys like him and (Williams), it always seems like the bigger the game, the bigger they play. It鈥檚 a different dynamic for sure.鈥�
Williams was a fixture on Washington鈥檚 second line this season, finishing with 22 goals and 52 points in 82 games. The 34-year-old was a welcome addition for the Presidents鈥� Trophy winners, but the Capitals had the playoffs in mind when they signed Williams to a two-year, $6.5 million deal last July.
Williams, who has earned the nickname 鈥淢r. Game 7,鈥� is a perfect 7-0 in career Game 7s with an NHL-record seven goals and 14 points in those decisive games. He arrived in D.C. last fall with 鈥渋nstant street credibility鈥� according to head coach Barry Trotz.
“When you check the boxes,聽you want quality people to add to your organization, you want to find someone who was a winner, you鈥檙e looking for someone that had playoff success, and you鈥檙e looking for a guy who is still productive and in your price range,” Trotz said.
“He checked off pretty well every box and when he became available, we went and made a good pitch for him.鈥�
Teammates were aware of Williams鈥� and Richards鈥� playoff histories long before they signed with Washington, but what they discovered throughout the season were the areas that can鈥檛 always be measured on the back of a hockey card.
鈥淲illie the whole year has just been a guy that knows exactly what to say at the right moment,鈥� Wilson said.
鈥淗e鈥檚 not talking in the room unless he needs to. Ritchie is the same way. They have that calm demeanor about them on an everyday basis and when something needs to said, they definitely step up and make sure that everyone is on the right track.鈥�
Among those impressed has been Williams鈥� stall mate at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, captain Alex Ovechkin.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a perfect, perfect fit for our team,鈥� Ovechkin said. 鈥淧erfect guy in the locker room. He’s the kind of guy who knows exactly what he has to do. He鈥檚 a tremendous work ethic guy out there, he tries to win every battle, in front of the net he’s outstanding and you can see how many goals he’s scored in front of the net. That鈥檚 his weapon and that’s his key.鈥�
Williams will line up as the Capitals鈥� second-line right winger 鈥� as he has for much of the season 鈥� skating alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov, 24, and Andre Burakovsky, 21.
鈥淓ven though he鈥檚 won three Cups, he still [acts] my age,鈥� said聽Kuznetsov, Washington鈥檚 leading scorer this season with 77 points in 82 games.
鈥淲e talk, we make fun, even on the bench if a game is not going well, we try to stay positive and make some jokes. It鈥檚 always good to have guys like Justin.鈥�
Richards, who is also a perfect 7-0 in career Game 7s, will begin the postseason as the Capitals鈥� third-line center, skating alongside Chimera and Marcus Johansson.
鈥淗e recognizes key points in series and games and he responds to it, whether it鈥檚 a time to be physical, or a big defensive play or a big faceoff,鈥� said General Manager Brian MacLellan.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the type of guy that鈥檚 always played better in big games.鈥�
In addition to his Stanley Cup rings from the 2012 and 2014 Los Angeles Kings, Richards also won an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2010, an AHL Calder Cup with the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005 and a Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers in 2003.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got a great demeanor and he has the ability to have really good perspective and slow things down when everything gets a little hectic,鈥� Trotz said of the Caps midseason acquisition.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I think guys will lean on him, I think he鈥檒l be a good influence on our group as he has been all year. I think in the playoffs, he finds a way to affect the game in a positive way, every time he鈥檚 in the playoffs. That鈥檚 the same with Justin Williams.鈥�
