George Richards, FHN Publisher
With A.J. Greer about to get paid and departing in free agency, the Florida Panthers added some more toughness on Thursday by getting veteran Garnet Hathaway in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Hathaway will fit right into what that Panthers do, and will slot in on their fourth line.
The 11-year veteran started his career with the Calgary Flames and went on to play for the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and Flyers.
In his first season with the Flyers in 2023-24, Hathaway had 132 penalty minutes.
He has averaged 67 penalty minutes per season in his NHL career.
Florida gave up a fifth round pick in this weekend’s draft as well as a sixth-round pick next year for Hathaway and a sixth-round pick on Saturday.
The Flyers are also retaining 50 percent of Hathaway’s salary, so he only counts for $1.2 million against the cap this coming season.
“Garnet is a physical and highly competitive player who will complement our group well,” Bill Zito said in a statement. “We’re excited to add his veteran presence to our group for the upcoming season.”
Hathaway led the Flyers with 252 hits last season which ranked ninth in the NHL.
In his 11 seasons, Hathaway averages 198 hits.
Hathaway has been ranked in the top 10 in the NHL in hits every season since 2021; during that span, his 1,532 hits rank second among all NHL players.
Although a native of Naples, Fla., Hathaway grew up in New England.
Undrafted, Hathaway played four seasons at Brown University.
ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON
- NHL Draft (No picks in First Round, Six Overall): Friday-Saturday; KeyBank Center, Buffalo
- NHL Free Agency: Opens July 1
- Panthers Development Camp: Late June/Early July; IcePlex, Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA
- Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale
- 2026-27 NHL Season Opens: Late September; Site, Opponent TBA