Back to the Top News Newsfeed

Williams embraces leadership role in return to Carolina

Related Topics: Carolina Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Hurricanes didn’t bring back Justin Williams to be ”Mr. Game 7.”

Not yet, anyway.

The 35-year-old with the reputation for scoring big postseason goals has returned to Raleigh, tasked with bringing veteran leadership and a voice of experience to a young Carolina team.

But there’s a fine line between filling that type of role for the Hurricanes, and commanding control of the dressing room. He brushed aside questions about whether he should wear the ”C” for a team that has gone without a captain since February 2016.

”I think the worst thing you can do when you come into a new – even though it’s a team I’ve been on, it’s a new team for me – is trying to be someone you’re not,” Williams said Monday.