Jason Williams Offered 1 Year Contract

[egroen 384]

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/ccustance.tsn

Former Columbus forward Jason Williams is part of a group of talented players still on the free agent market who would be a nice boost for teams looking to add scoring depth. Williams, who scored 19 goals last season for the Thrashers and Blue Jackets, is also a very useful player on the power play. The addition of Williams in mid-season helped get Columbus into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

I caught Jason on his celll for a few minutes today before he hit the golf course. He has a one-year offer to return to the Detroit Red Wings where he started his NHL career but is also weighing the option of playing in the KHL.

"I'm not going to close the door on that," Williams told SportingNews.com. "I know over there they're really trying to compete with the NHL. It's a great league."

Williams still has a home in the Detroit area, one he bought right before he was traded to the Blackhawks. He's renting it out now, and only lived in it for about six months before he left Detroit. The Red Wings would be a natural fit for Williams.

"I'd be going back to a spot I'm familiar with," Williams said. "I know the system they like to play - puck possession, good defense."

He said he loved his time in Columbus, and would like to return to the Blue Jackets but hasn't gotten an offer from GM Scott Howson. Even so, he had great things to say about his 39-game stint with the Blue Jackets.

"The guys are great, the organization is really turned around," he said. "Everything was first class there."

According to the Hockey Insider, Jason Wiliams has been offered a contract by the Detroit Red Wings. The rumored deal is $2.5 million for one year. We have rated this at 80%. There is rumored that he wanted to stay in Columbus, but was never offered a contract.

http://www.hendrickshockey.com/

[Guest Shoreline]

jafdkhsgsjslhda nooooooo!!

[mmamolo 287]

This is horrible news in my opinion. He's just about the last guy I would have wanted

[NEEDMOREGRIT 12]

ROFL this better be a joke.

[UKWING 8]

$2.5m for jason f*cking williams!?!

[jollymania 162]

NO don't come back! or come back for a mil not this outrageous price!

[mmamolo 287]

I will actually give Ken Holland my left nut not to make this signing

[lets go pavel 2]

Please please please go to the KHL. Ugh. The team thought Kyle Calder was an upgrade over him, and now we're going to bring him back at 2.5? I think I would have preferred keeping Sammy.

Just out of curiosity, don't the Wings have to wait and see what happens with tomorrow's hearing with Hudler before they can go signing other folks?

[Green Wing 26]

Whatever about bringing him back, but for 2.5? God no!

[RusDRW 155]

if this will happen everybody here will regret we decided not to sign Sammy.

[egroen 384]

Please please please go to the KHL. Ugh. The team thought Kyle Calder was an upgrade over him, and now we're going to bring him back at 2.5? I think I would have preferred keeping Sammy.

Just out of curiosity, don't the Wings have to wait and see what happens with tomorrow's hearing with Hudler before they can go signing other folks?

You can go over the cap by 10% during the off-season, though I am sure Holland would prefer not to sign & trade.

It is looking more and more like the NHL will not be able to keep Hudler from the KHL.

$2.5m for Williams seems excessive -- he only made $2.2m last year.

Opinion piece: http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2009/7/27...ebate?ref=yahoo

[maltbymaniac 13]

tell me we are getting punked.

[aw1340 0]

This can't be real. 2.5 is ridiculous

[96warrior 11]

I'll help him pack for the KHL. I do not want this.

[zenway9 1]

Do WHAT now??

[wingfan1991 221]

no way this is true.. f***!

[Jedi 1,865]

Bringing back Williams? Meh.

Bringing back Williams at 2.5m? I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[The Mule 0]

There's no way we offerred him 2.5 million. I don't believe this for a second.

EDIT: With that said, I wouldn't mind Williams back in Detroit. His 29 points in 39 games as a Jacket to finish last season were fairly decent, and that was him playing with worse linemates. However, 2.5 is too much.

Edited July 29, 2009 by The Mule

[blues_demitra38 11]

Williams has speed and a rocket of a shot, certainly an upgrade over Samuelsson and essentially the same player as Hudler. Remind me again, why is this bad news?

[Guest Shoreline]

I like you egroen, but I hope your links are bulls***.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Shoreline

[stevkrause 1,247]

I'd take him for 1mil or less... 2.5 is pure speculation and I can't see Holland offering ANYWHERE near that...

If it's true, we would have been better off giving Sammy 3.5 and trading someone...

[egroen 384]

Williams has speed and a rocket of a shot, certainly an upgrade over Samuelsson and essentially the same player as Hudler. Remind me again, why is this bad news?

He's more comparable to a speedier, less physical Sammy than he is to Hudler.

Hudler puts up more points with 3-4 minutes less in ice time.

[96warrior 11]

From Abel to Yzerman -

Remember this quote after Williams was (finally) sent to the press box in 2007?

“He’s the coach, he makes the decisions. I don’t really like the way he did it. I just have to control what I can control.’’

How did he do it?

“Just coming up and giving me a tap on the shin pads (after the pregame warm-ups), that’s how he normally does it, but he could have come to me before the game and said, “We’re going to probably sit you out tonight,’’ or something like that and explain it to me. It’s the way he wants to handle it, he’s going to control the situation how he wants to control it.’’

[Zion 93]

No, let's pay Maxim Afinogenov that money. Hell, let's pay him the 3.5 he was making this year!

[sputman 1,268]