On Tuesday (March 25), the Columbus Blue Jackets announced the signing of undrafted free agent Jack Williams from Northeastern University. An offensive threat in the very difficult Hockey East conference of the NCAA, Williams is expected to immediately join the Blue Jackets and make his NHL debut sooner rather than later.
Collegiate Offensive Threat
Over the three seasons in the NCAA, Williams developed offensively very quickly. In his freshman season, he had 17 points in 35 games for the Huskies. In his sophomore season, he more than doubled that point total with 36 in 34 games, while also scoring 17 goals. In his junior season, he was named captain for Northeastern and once again set career highs in points with 41 in 31 games, but scored one less goal than the season prior.
Williams’ numbers were fairly similar to those of his teammate, Cam Lund, who was recently signed to an entry-level contract by the San Jose Sharks. There are a couple of key differences between the two, though. Lund was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and is currently just 20 years old, while the undrafted Williams is 23 years of age, meaning he’s much further along in his development than Lund. As a result, Williams doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but he could become a solid depth option for the Blue Jackets nonetheless.
Although it remains to be seen whether Williams’ offensive capabilities will transfer over to the professional game, he’s not a one-trick pony either. He brings a high work ethic and strong defensive play as well, which can make him valuable in the long run as a bottom-six forward.
Hard-Working Puck Winner
A strong showing this season would allow Williams to have a good chance at making the NHL again next season, especially if players like Luke Kunin, Sean Kuraly, and Justin Danforth move on during the summer. While the Blue Jackets have exceeded expectations overall this season, they’re still a team exiting a rebuild. As a result, a young player like Williams breaking into the bottom-six is exactly what they’re hoping for with this signing.
Elite Prospects scout Mitchell Brown was highly complimentary of the impact Williams made earlier this month, stating, “Pace and puck-winning skills are the core of Williams’ game. Creates a ton of turnovers with his routes and timed acceleration. Gets under sticks and initiates contact early to create separation. And then he instantly knows the next play, whether that’s a quick pass or drive inside.”
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell also had a great description of Williams in the organization’s press release, saying, “Jack Williams is a skilled, hard-working player with a passion for the game, who was a very productive player and leader during his time at Northeastern.”
While Williams looks like more of a depth option for the Blue Jackets in the long run, this organization knows well how quickly a player can surpass expectations. One of the most publicized blunders of the previous management staff was letting William Karlsson be selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in their expansion draft, yet nobody knew what he would be able to do with his new organization. While it’s unlikely that he has a Karlsson-like breakout, Williams will continue to develop, and at just 23 years old, he has plenty of time to prove that he can be more than just a fourth-line fringe forward at the NHL level.
Related: Blue Jackets Almost Back to Full Strength With Monahan Return
On a more realistic level, Williams has the potential to be another Danforth. A player who outworks everyone and makes it impossible to leave him out of the lineup, even if there are players more skilled than him, and the odds are stacked against him. Undrafted free agents notoriously don’t often live up to expectations, but Williams could be the exception to the rule.
