Justin Williams, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, announces his retirement after 19 NHL seasons.

10 months ago, at the very beginning of 2020, we witnessed an amazing story. January 8th, 38-year-old striker Justin Williams, after a three-month pause decided to resume his career and signed a contract with Carolina until the end of the season. The agreement was unilateral, its amount was $700 thousand; with bonuses, the veteran could earn another $1.3 million. Recently, he announced his retirement, which surprised people greatly.

Details

Understandably, he did not get younger, but in the summer of 2019, it was difficult to believe that Justin could leave hockey. The fact that the super-experienced striker was in no hurry to sign a new contract with Carolina was confusing, but it seemed like a matter of time. Therefore, the news of the player’s decision to take a pause and miss the 2019-2020 season surprised people very much.

Here’s how Justin Williams commented about it: 

“For the first time in my life, I am not sure about my desire to play hockey. As far as I remember, I devoted the entire off-season to hockey and preparation for the upcoming season. Due to the current uncertainty and having no psychological and physical confidence I’ve always had, I decided to leave the game. The main focus should be on the current, very talented young Carolina players, who will certainly continue development after a successful last season.”

Hurricanes’ general manager, Don Waddell did not say anything about whether Justin could return if he suddenly decided to play hockey again:

“We appreciate Justin’s honesty and openness in the course of his thoughts and we respect his decision. He was an important part of our team, but we understood he might not return. We are still confident and optimistic.”

Conclusion

Williams is respected by absolutely everyone – partners, rivals, fans, journalists. His story began back in 2003, and his performance was glorious. 

Let us know if you are surprised by William’s decision in the comments below. 

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