The 2022-23 regular season was a season of change for Garnet Hathaway. Now, the 2023 offseason is another change for the physical bottom-six forward. In February, Hathaway along with Dmitry Orlov was traded from the Washington Capitals to the Boston Bruins and played well on the fourth-line and the move gave him a chance to play on a good team and raise his value for his new deal.
Late Saturday night, Hathaway agreed to a two-year, $4.75 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers that carries an average annual value of $2.375 million, which is an increase from the $1.5 million he got in 2022-23.
Hathaway’s 2022-23 Season With Capitals & Bruins
After playing 175 games over four seasons with the Calgary Flames, Hathaway had three good seasons with the Capitals and was a tough player to play against with his hard-nosed physical style that punished opponents. In 257 games for Washington, he had 38 goals and 38 assists, including nine in 59 games before the trade. His last goal as a Capital came against the Bruins at the TD Garden on Feb. 11 and it was the game-winner in a 2-1 win. Little did he or Bruins know what was coming next.
Twelve days later he was sent to Boston and had four goals and six points in the final 25 games of the regular season on the fourth-line. He only averaged 11:04 a night with the Bruins, but it was forechecking, physical presence along with his linemates that made them tough to play against. In seven playoff games against the Florida Panthers, he had an assist, but took a cross-check from Matthew Tkachuck in Game 4 at the end of the first period and was not the same player over the final three games.
Hathaway fits the mold of a bottom-six forward and because of a salary cap crunch in Boston, general manager (GM) Don Sweeney could not re-sign the New England native, despite wanting to. The 31-year-old played at Brown University before reaching the NHL.
Hathaway’s Fit With the Flyers
Hathaway is going to be a physical addition to the Philadelphia bottom six and will bring energy-changing shifts. After going to Boston, he brought new life to the fourth line and made life difficult for opposing defensemen, something the Bruins took advantage of with some key goals. He was flexible for Boston coach Jim Montgomery and was able to shift around the lineup when needed, something that will be a benefit to the Flyers.
Related: 2023 NHL Free Agency Tracker
Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere traded Kevin Hayes to the St. Louis Blues, but was quiet on the first day of free agency, signing center Ryan Poehling and Hathaway. Coach John Tortorella will oversee a change the Flyers are going through and Briere is most likely not done making moves as he still has some restricted free agents (RFAs) to re-sign and other contracts that he would like to deal with at some point.